On Thursday, three days after suffering a concussion in a loss to the Vikings, San Francisco 49ers strategist Brock Purdy was limited in practice, suggesting he’s making notable progress heading into Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
Purdy’s ability to practice on a limited basis indicates he is likely in stage four of the NFL’s five-stage concussion protocol. During the fourth stage, players can return to participating in football activities such as throwing, catching, running and other position-specific activities. Purdy was observed throwing during individual drills early in practice.
A reporter mentioned the tight end George Kittle that Purdy was “throwing” the ball.
“I felt like he was throwing it to me too, man,” Kittle said, smiling.
Purdy must be cleared by a team doctor and an independent neurological consultant to play against the Bengals.
In other injury news, left tackle Trent Williams remained out of practice due to the sprained ankle he suffered against the Browns. To come back Christian McCaffrey (oblique) was a full participant for the second day in a row.
QB elbow: Purdy’s strong start to the season — he ranks second in the NFL in passer rating (107.2) — explains why the elbow surgery he underwent in March wasn’t a topic during its regular season press conferences.
However, ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said the topic came up when he spoke with Purdy before the 49ers’ 22-17 loss to the Vikings on Monday.
“Talking to him about his elbow and the injury he suffered last year in the playoffs, he’s still getting his strength back,” Aikman said during the game broadcast. “It’s not 100%.”
Asked Wednesday about Aikman’s comment, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy didn’t tell him his arm hadn’t returned to full strength.
On August 10, Purdy said of his elbow: “I feel almost back to normal. »
Lawn Speech: Kittle played 51 of 53 snaps against the Vikings, missing a snap in the fourth quarter after hitting his left knee on the turf at US Bank Stadium. Kittle was observed limping on the sideline in pain and lifting his left leg on the sideline.
Kittle noted that the Vikings played on “split-film turf,” which NFL/NFLPA data showed had a higher rate of non-contact lower-body injuries than other turf types. The NFL disputed the data.
“It’s very elastic, but it’s essentially cement,” Kittle said. “So when you click on it, it really stinks. It’s not a very good turf. It’s not a very safe field either… I don’t know – we’re just talking about player safety.
Six other teams use split film turf: the Giants, Jets, Saints, Colts, Bengals and Lions. The 49ers will not visit these teams for the remainder of the regular season.
Contact Eric Branch: [email protected]; Twitter: @Eric_Branch
