Shanahan and the 49ers understand the reality of their situation. After finishing in last place in the NFC West, all of their stars except Aiyuk are healthy and eager to take advantage of a full offseason of rest and a softer schedule that awaits this fall.
Executing a worst-to-first turnaround requires, of course, that the core players stay on the field. That group, which includes Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Trent Williams on offense, with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Deommodore Lenoir on defense, also needs players in complementary roles to step up.
That’s why Shanahan, who is tempted to cut minicamp short, won’t give in.
“I almost want to cancel the whole week,” the coach said. “But there’s 20 guys out there who still really need this week, and then there are 60 guys who are trying to get through this and not get them injured, and that’s our biggest goal with everything.”
Strong performances in minicamp are hardly a guarantee of regular-season success, but it’s clear that Purdy is developing a solid connection with Robinson, who made a few impressive catches after hauling in several throws during OTAs.