Quarterback Brock Purdy practiced for the third consecutive day as the San Francisco 49ers prepare for their Week 8 matchup against the Houston Texans. Purdy was limited on Wednesday and Thursday.
Purdy started by working with a trainer on a side field, but later joined his teammates on the practice field.
We'll have to wait until the practice participation report is released to officially learn how much work he did on Friday, as reporters aren't allowed to observe team drills during practice.
Despite his continued progress, Purdy still appears likely to miss his sixth game of the season due to the toe injury he suffered in Week 1. He briefly returned in Week 4 before experiencing a setback and has not played since. Last week, he was limited in practice before ultimately being ruled out against the Atlanta Falcons.
"He's doing a really good job," general manager John Lynch said this week. "We're taking the appropriate measures, and what I can tell you is he gets better each week, each day. I do think we're getting closer to him returning."
Mac Jones appears likely to make his sixth start of the season in place of Purdy.
Ricky Pearsall remains sidelined
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall continues to miss time with a knee injury that has kept him out since Week 4. He once again sat out practice this week and appears unlikely to suit up against the Texans on Sunday.
This week, when asked if Pearsall suffered a setback in his recovery, head coach Kyle Shanahan clarified, "I don't think it's a setback. It's just not going as fast as we want it. But nothing new has happened."
Pearsall has appeared in only four games this season, his second in the NFL, recording 20 receptions for 327 yards.
Other practice notes
Here are some other notes based on reporter observations from the early portion of practice:
- CB Deommodore Lenoir (quadricep) returned to practice after missing Wednesday and Thursday.
- LB Luke Gifford (hamstring) was back on the field after sitting out Thursday's session.
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee, hamstring) was not on the field at the start of practice.
- As expected, C Jake Brendel (hamstring) and DE Bryce Huff (hamstring) did not practice. Both are expected to miss multiple weeks.