49ers mailbag: Will Brock Purdy play Sunday? Pass rush options for SF? What was most impressive in Week 1 win?

It's only week two, and the San Francisco 49ers are creating a lot of news. From TE George Kittle being placed on IR (injured reserve) to QB Brock Purdy dealing with multiple injuries, it feels like we're well into the season. And that doesn't even mention the kicker news.

So, if you're already feeling the exhaustion of a long season week, take a breath and grab a seat. We have a new 49ers Webzone Mailbag to get into. Let's take a look!

Does Purdy play on Sunday? Do you think anyone gets an extension? Winters may get locked up? - Lowbridge

We'll know more as the week progresses, but Kyle Shanahan appears to be leaning toward Purdy not playing this Sunday, or possibly not for a few weeks. If any 49ers fans wanted the team to draft Mac Jones in 2021, you may be getting your wish.

As far as extensions go, Dee Winters could be a candidate, but we'll have to see if the 49ers extend anyone else this season. I am not sure what they might be thinking regarding contract extensions, especially since they've gone younger and "cheaper" this year.

Even with the revamped D line, Bosa was the only one to get a sack. Who out of this new group has the most potential to be the complementary pass-rushing threat? Huff? Mykel? One of the DTs? - Andy G.

Definitely Bryce Huff. That's why he was brought to San Francisco. He's the only experienced pass rusher the 49ers have to complement Nick Bosa. Huff had one QB pressure on Sunday and played well.

Sam Okuayinonu, who forced a fumble in Seattle, is another option. Yetur Gross-Matos is another. According to PFF (Pro Football Focus), he led the league in interior pass rush rate in week one.

What, if anything, impressed you about the win over Seattle? - Ed H.

I was impressed with:

• The defense. They looked much improved, despite having so many young players. Robert Saleh is good at his job.
• The team's resilience. To go down, have turnovers and many miscues, and then come back to win was impressive. The offense did its part. The defense followed that up by closing the door. And they did this without Kittle and Jauan Jennings.
• Unheralded players like Okuayinonu, Jake Tonges, and Luke Farrell stepped up in big moments.
• Christian McCaffrey. He's pretty good.

With Kittle out for multiple weeks, how do you think Kyle will change his game plan? More passes to Farrell/Tonges? More touches for Brian Robinson? - Andy G.

We can expect more of Farrell, Tonges, and Kyle Juszczyk. The 49ers might also elevate Brayden Willis.

But the approach in New Orleans will be the same—a heavy dose of the run game. So, yes, Brian Robinson could get more touches.

Why haven't they cut Moody yet? - Prof B.

After missing that chip shot in Seattle, how short is the leash now on Jake Moody? - Johnny Y.

Can you PLEASE get rid of Moody? - Brandon L.

There were many Jake Moody questions. The 49ers waived him on Tuesday, so the fanbase should be happy. But that doesn't mean it's an easy decision for the 49ers, even though it needed to happen. Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday, "Jake's got a chance to have a hell of a future. He's that talented. But when it gets to that point, you can see it affecting him from a mental [standpoint]. So, you have no choice."

In the end, Moody couldn't get out of his own head. It's not the talent holding him back right now. It's the mental side of it, which Shanahan referenced.

The 49ers, as you likely have heard, signed Eddy Piñeiro to replace Moody. Piñeiro is the 4th most accurate kicker in NFL history. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Piñeiro has played twice as long as Moody, but has missed fewer kicks than Moody already has. That's encouraging.

Even outside of our kicker issue - our special teams wasn't special at all - miscues, large returns. When will we finally right the ship? Can Robbie come out of retirement? - Lowbridge

I believe Brant Boyer will get things turned around. But it won't happen overnight. Yes, the special teams units were bad in Seattle, but it was their first game. It should improve. Just give them some time.

Robbie Gould isn't coming out of retirement.

Why does Kyle still show the utmost faith in Brendel and Moody? Did he lose a bet? - KCarps

OL coach Chris Foerster is the one who loves Jake Brendel so much. Maybe Shanahan does, too, but definitely Foerster. Brendel has good moments and bad moments. I've been hard on him, as has much of the fanbase, but the team is high on him. And he played well in Seattle. So there's a positive.

Until someone better comes along, Brendel will be the guy. And it may take an injury to unseat him this season.

No one has mentioned this, but why is Moody kicking the ball into the end zone, giving Seattle the ball at the 35-yard line? He did it on the opening kickoff and the kickoff after the Tonges touchdown. - Keenan J.

I complained about it during the game. And maybe that's another reason why Moody is no longer with the 49ers.

This new kickoff rule makes kicking the ball into the end zone a bad strategy. Long gone are the days of getting the ball at the 20-yard line on touchbacks. Hopefully, Piñeiro will not only be an upgrade as a field goal kicker, but also on kickoffs.

Who is realistically next man up in the WR corps if JJ is out next week? - Andy G.

If Jennings misses more time, that will put even more pressure on Ricky Pearsall, who had a great game against the Seahawks. Russell Gage, Jr. and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are options, as well. And don't forget that the 49ers signed Kendrick Bourne this week.

There's some hope that Jordan Watkins could return soon. But he's a rookie, and I'm not sure what he can bring to the table this soon. If there's no Jennings, on top of having no Kittle, others will have to step up.

If the 49ers can limp to week four, Demarcus Robinson will be back. And Kittle should return shortly thereafter.

That's all we have for this week's edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag. We'll be back next week with a brand new one.