The 49ers are on their bye week, but Brock Purdy’s season is still worth a close look.
Seven games is enough to show a pattern, and the numbers give a clearer picture of what Purdy has been doing in 2026. The debate around him has already settled into the usual lanes - praise, skepticism, and the familiar argument about Kyle Shanahan’s system and the cast around him. But the production has been there, and the efficiency has followed.
One of the most telling stats is Purdy’s average time to throw: 2.99 seconds, which ranks fifth in the league. That lines up with a quarterback who is not just operating within structure, but also extending plays more than some of the passers ahead of him. Patrick Mahomes and Drake Maye are tied for first at 3.17 seconds, followed by Caleb Williams and Bo Nix.
Purdy is also fourth in the NFL in first-read throws at 67.5%. Matthew Stafford leads that category at 77.4%, with Jared Goff at 72.7% and Jordan Love at 69.6% right behind him.
The point here is simple: Purdy is getting the ball out on time and getting to his first option a lot, which fits the kind of timing-based offense San Francisco runs. Joe Burrow sits just behind Purdy in that category.
There’s also the matter of how often the offense leans on gadget-type looks. Purdy’s designated receiver throws - screens, shovel passes, jet sweeps, and forward passes - sit at 7.5%. The number is modest, and the argument in his favor is that his passing skill reduces the need for that kind of usage.
The second-read number is even more striking. Purdy is at 7.5% there as well, which is the third-lowest rate in the league.
Only Jordan Love, Malik Willis, and Tyler Shough are lower, and Willis and Shough have zero second-read throws. In an offense built on timing and precision, that shouldn’t automatically be read as a flaw.
When things are working the way they’re supposed to, the ball comes out fast to the right man in the right spot.
Then there’s the checkdown discussion, which always seems to trail quarterbacks like Purdy. The key distinction is between a true checkdown and a designed throw underneath meant to create yards after the catch.
Purdy’s checkdown rate in 2026 is 12.5%. With Christian McCaffrey available, that’s hardly a bad place to put the football.
Purdy has also been willing to make things happen outside the script. His scramble throw rate is 10%, part of what has helped fuel his strong start.
The quarterbacks ahead of him in that category are Mahomes, Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Malik Willis, and Snoop Huntley. Only Huntley is under 20 percent, while the others are in the high 20s.
The 49ers’ bye week arrives at a useful time, with Purdy’s weapons coming back healthy and the possibility of another receiver joining the mix. Through seven weeks, Purdy has played well in 2026, and these numbers help show what he’s being asked to do - and what he’s bringing to the offense.
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