Brock Purdy has consistently shown himself to be an excellent passer, particularly from a clean pocket. However, as demonstrated during Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback is also highly capable of extending plays when the pocket breaks down, a skill that has proven invaluable to the team.
Purdy's ability to make something happen under pressure isn't a recent development. Since stepping in as the 49ers' starter after multiple quarterback injuries during his rookie season, he has shown a knack for making off-schedule plays. This quality surprised the team, even after scouting Purdy extensively before making him the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
"I think my 10-yard split, just to give you guys some perspective, it was faster than Christian's (RB Christian McCaffrey) and [WR] Deebo [Samuel], I think," Purdy said after Sunday's win against the New England Patriots. "You guys can fact-check me, but that's what I mean. I think I just have enough to get out of the pocket and make a play, pick up five, seven yards here and there. So I'm not [Ravens QB] Lamar Jackson by any means. But anyways, just do what it takes."
General manager John Lynch joined Bay Area radio station KNBR, as he does each Friday morning, and commented on Purdy's athleticism. When asked whether the 49ers' scouts had noticed this ability during pre-draft evaluations, Lynch chuckled while reflecting on the quarterback's post-game comments.
"That cracked me up, Brock pulling out his 10-yard split," Lynch said. "He's going deep there. But yeah, that's something you could see on the tape at Iowa State. I will say you never know how things are going to translate from college to the NFL. I would say that's probably where we've been most pleasantly surprised—his off-schedule, his second-reaction plays, the ability. And you saw it throughout the playoffs last year. It's a huge talent to have, and it's a huge asset to be able to extend drives, move the chains with your legs when things break down.
"And, this year, it seems like one of the defenses that people are employing against us is dropping multiple people, dropping eight, try to put more people in coverage, I think because we've always been so good as an offense. Once the ball is caught, the play is just getting started with our YAC and our run after the catch. I think people are just trying to populate those areas with people, and Brock's saying, 'Okay, well, if you're gonna do that, I'll hold onto the ball. Someone will eventually come open, or I'll make it happen with my legs.'"
While Purdy's mobility might not jump off the stat sheet—he has just 75 rushing yards on 18 attempts this season and only 144 rushing yards last year—it's his ability to buy time behind the line of scrimmage, allowing his playmakers to get open, that makes the quarterback so dangerous.
"And when you start doing that, they have to bring something different," Lynch continued. "And then the plays we saw last week, where they're downfield, and he showed another element of his game."
Lynch admits that nothing Purdy does on the football field surprises him anymore. In his view, the young quarterback has proven himself as a key contributor to the team's success and will continue to play a vital role in the 49ers' future achievements.
"Brock has passed the test on a consistent basis since he's been here, so nothing he does anymore surprises me. It's just kind of what we expect out of him," Lynch concluded.
You can listen to Lynch's entire interview below.
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