San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has practiced twice this week, albeit in a limited role, and is expected to be on the field again Friday. However, after missing Week 2's matchup against the New Orleans Saints due to a toe injury, even Purdy doesn't sound certain if he'll play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
"Definitely just got to see, come game time, how I feel," Purdy explained on Thursday. "Obviously, I wanna play every game. I want to be out there. We only get 17 regular-season games, and every game matters, especially the divisional [ones], going against the Cardinals.
"So, if you ask me, I'd love to, but I'm trying to be smart with my body here. But you never know. We'll see when the game comes."
It appears Purdy will be a true game-time decision.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero shared his perspective on Purdy's Week 3 availability during a Friday appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, noting that multiple factors could influence the decision for this crucial NFC West matchup between two undefeated teams.
"Yes, it does sound like Brock Purdy's got an opportunity, and there's a possibility he could go, but there's several different moving parts here," Pelissero explained. "One is, they're seeing how his body reacts. He's got a left shoulder and a toe—the toe's the real problem."
On Thursday, Purdy confirmed that the left shoulder injury is no longer a concern—though the 49ers continue to list it on injury reports.
"It's on the bottom of his foot," Pelissero said of the toe injury. "It's kind of like a variation of turf toe. Not nearly as severe as what Joe Burrow had, but it's uncomfortable. And so, he's got to see, from a functionality, a pain tolerance, a body response perspective, how he gets through these practices.
"And then the other part of it is, do the 49ers want to put Brock Purdy out there if Brock Purdy is not 100% [in terms of] how he protects himself, just how the game plan can function, what you can put in it here. So there's gonna be some discussions, but you heard Brock Purdy say it himself to reporters yesterday, that he's got to see how he's feeling on game day.
"That would indicate Brock at least wants the opportunity. 'Hey, list me as questionable. Give me another 72 hours. Let's see how I feel here.'"
Pelissero also noted that Purdy's limited practice reps might simply be part of his ramp-up, meaning Mac Jones could very likely make his second consecutive start for the 49ers.
"They have not ruled him out," Pelissero added. "Kyle has said that there's a chance. We'll find out a little bit more this afternoon."