49ers' Brock Purdy addresses concerns over training camp struggles

Former NFL quarterback and current analyst Chris Simms of NBC Sports recently sounded some alarms after San Francisco 49ers starting signal-caller Brock Purdy tossed a total of seven interceptions across two training camp practices.

Purdy spoke openly with reporters on Sunday about making such mistakes now before the games begin to matter next month.

"I take pride in protecting the ball for our offense and our team," Purdy explained, as shared by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "And so obviously, I’m mad when I’m not completing the ball to our guys and it’s going to the defense. I’m hard on myself and the coaches are, too. We have a standard here. So it’s not (that) we’re just going out and just because it’s practice it’s okay to throw picks. No, there’s still a standard here. But with that is ... now’s the time to be trying out some stuff in terms of throwing some windows and some tight coverages and whatnot."

Purdy is experiencing his first NFL training camp as a full-time healthy starter. He was buried on the depth chart months after the 49ers made him the final pick of the 2022 draft, and he spent portions of last summer completing his recovery from the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow he suffered in January 2023.

"I remember last year coming off my UCL at practice, I was throwing some stuff, and I threw multiple days of picks," Purdy noted. "But you get into the season and you’re ready for those moments and you’re ready to execute and protect the ball. So that’s where we’re at in the time of year."

Purdy finished the 2023 regular season as a finalist for the Most Valuable Player Award and could be less than a year away from signing a historic contract extension. The fact he's thrown just 15 career regular-season interceptions over 21 starts and 25 appearances with San Francisco suggests there's nothing wrong with him being aggressive with decisions he makes during summer practices as long as he doesn't develop bad habits.

"At the end of the day, I’m not out there trying to just throw the ball up and act like it’s camp and I don’t care, because I do," Purdy added during his comments.

As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook continued to list the 49ers second among the betting favorites at +600 odds to win Super Bowl LIX. Purdy getting avoidable miscues out of his system now could ultimately help him guide the 49ers to a second straight Super Bowl trip.