For the most part, training camp statistics don't matter. Players are working on different aspects of their game, and quarterbacks are testing throws to assess their limits, which doesn't occur in games.
A big deal was made of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy throwing three interceptions on Monday during the team's first padded training camp practice. Then, on Tuesday, Purdy threw four interceptions. Naturally, this sparked discussions among the media, who seem to overlook that Purdy threw many interceptions during last year's training camp and went on to have a record-breaking season.
Purdy joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Wednesday and shared his candid thoughts on those tracking practice statistics.
"It's a fine line," Purdy said. "You want to go out, you want to be efficient, you want to go through reads, and obviously protect the ball and whatnot. But right now is the time for us to go out and—you always hear the quarterback say experiment—but that's really what it is. Can I fit it in this window on this hitch? Can I look off [LB] Fred [Warner] or [LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles] or [LB De'Vondre Campbell] in a certain way and then make that throw backside? You gotta try it out.
"In the game and in the season, it comes down to protecting the ball every snap, every play, so you can't necessarily try those things out. Right now, we can, and so my mindset right now is protect the ball, but let's be aggressive. Let's try this out. Let's figure it out.
"And so, obviously, I want to go through my reads, check the ball down, and work on that as well because that's real, that's football. But there's a time and a place where I'm like, 'Hey, you know what? This is practice, and I'm going to drop back and try this out.' And then you figure out [whether] it could be a part of your game or not for the season."
Purdy threw for a single-season franchise record of 4,280 passing yards last season before leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance. His 113.0 passer rating was the best among all qualifying NFL quarterbacks. The third-year player aims to improve this offseason and help guide the team to a championship.
When asked what he's worked on this offseason, Purdy responded, "I think just the physical traits of trying to grow my body, get stronger, work of my arm, my flexibility, all those kinds of things. That was something that I hammered at coming into camp. I wanted to feel good. I want to be able to push the ball down the field and make those tighter-window throws and put some zip on it."
Additionally, Purdy sought to grow mentally by ensuring he understood head coach Kyle Shanahan's playbook as if he were a second language.
"I come in, and when Kyle calls a play, it's just clicks," Purdy said. "I see it. I'm able to say it better into the huddle. It's just ran more smoothly. And so you put those two things together, and it's like trying to take the next step and with my game."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Purdy below.