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Brock Purdy is “highly unlikely” to start for the 49ers when they host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, but the quarterback does have a chance to be in uniform as a backup.
So Mac Jones will likely start a second straight game for the 49ers — but matters get very complicated beyond that.
Let’s explain.
For one, a few more injuries hit the team this week: Rookie left guard Connor Colby hurt his groin during Thursday’s practice, putting into question his availability for Sunday. Colby had been in line to replace Ben Bartch, who’s now on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain. Spencer Burford didn’t respond well to treatment on his knee, so the 49ers now fear a longer-term absence for their swing tackle.
Beyond that, rookie Jordan Watkins hurt his calf and has been ruled out of Sunday’s game, all while veteran wideout Jauan Jennings (ankle) is questionable after not having practiced all week.
In summary, the 49ers may face a situation in which they’ll need to make at least three practice squad call-ups Saturday — but a maximum of two are allowed per week.
So, how will the 49ers solve this Rubik’s Cube?
Everything seems to tie back to Purdy, because quarterback Adrian Martinez is currently on the practice squad and would — by rule — require a full-time promotion to the 53-man roster if he’s to be Jones’ backup Sunday, while Purdy is the emergency third QB.
Shanahan hinted that the 49ers may move both Burford and Watkins to injured reserve Saturday. That would open up room on the 53-man roster to promote both Martinez and receiver Russell Gage — the 49ers might need both in uniform Sunday. Then, the team can use its two practice-squad elevations on offensive linemen — perhaps guard Nick Zakelj and recently signed tackle Brandon Parker — to fortify the offensive line. (Shanahan said Zakelj and rookie Drew Moss, who’s already on the 53-man roster, are the top candidates to replace Colby.)
All those machinations would allow Purdy to dress as the emergency third QB, which would make him eligible to enter the game in case both Jones and Martinez get hurt.
The day-to-day nature of Purdy’s toe injury, which did improve this week, further complicates this fluid situation.
“Just talking to him, I think it’s highly unlikely that he’ll start,” Shanahan said of Purdy. “But just trying to see where he is at to see if he could be a two or an emergency three … we probably won’t know for sure until Sunday.
“There’s like six layers connected to it,” he added.
The good news for the 49ers amid the uncertainty of this roster Tetris: Left tackle Trent Williams is off the injury report and cleared to play.
And on the other side, the Cardinals have plenty of trouble of their own. Rookie starting cornerback Will Johnson is doubtful, with a groin injury, so Arizona is down its top three players at that position.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is in town this weekend to formally kick off the buildup to Super Bowl LX, scheduled for Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium.
The big game returns to the Bay Area after the city of San Francisco and Levi’s first hosted a Super Bowl 10 years ago.
“I’m thrilled to be back here,” Goodell said during the kickoff event at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art before thanking Bay Area Host Committee president and CEO Zaileen Janmohamed. “It’s a big job. The last person to have that job is sitting in City Hall.”
That was when Goodell smiled and gestured toward San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who was also onstage. Lurie held Janmohamed’s role a decade ago as leader of the Bay Area Host Committee when the region hosted the Super Bowl in February 2016.
Local leaders see the Super Bowl and the subsequent 2026 World Cup — six matches will be held at Levi’s — as golden opportunities to further accelerate the Bay Area’s recovery after the 2020 downturn.
The Super Bowl and World Cup will build upon the Bay Area Host Committee’s ongoing push to bring coveted sporting events to the region. Lurie took office in January and the Golden State Warriors hosted the NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center the following month. This weekend, tennis’ Laver Cup, a coveted Ryder Cup-style tournament, features five sold-out sessions inside the Warriors’ home arena.
Goodell, 49ers owner Jed York, and team president Al Guido all spoke alongside Lurie onstage.
“We all know that we have gone through some tough times,” Lurie said. “Much of the criticism was deserved, but some was not. And now we have to prove ourselves again. I think people took San Francisco for granted.
“… We have to fight for everything and we are. We get to show off. There is no bigger game on the planet than the Super Bowl. We’re honored to host it. We’re going to work our tails off. We’re going to show the world that San Francisco is not only on the rise, but we’re once again the greatest city in the world.”