Brock Purdy has spent the first three weeks of the season doing more than piling up numbers. He’s kept the 49ers out of trouble, and that’s a big reason San Francisco is 3-0.
Purdy is now second in MVP betting odds behind only Josh Allen, and the production backs it up. He leads the NFL in passer rating at 133.1 and QBR at 93.8, and he’s tied with Kirk Cousins for the league lead with nine touchdown passes. But the cleaner story is what hasn’t happened around him: no sacks through three games.
That kind of protection hasn’t shown up often. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 49ers are the first team since the 2014 Bengals to go through their first three games without allowing a sack.
That streak gets a real test Sunday against Denver, a defense that has built its identity on pressure. The Broncos are sixth in opposing quarterback pressure rate and seventh in sacks, and they’re coming off a 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams that featured four sacks and 14 quarterback hits on Matthew Stafford. San Francisco has only let Purdy absorb seven hits all season.
“The film doesn’t lie,” 49ers center Jake Brendel said. “It’s a very aggressive defense.”
The 49ers’ protection has been strong across the board. Their offensive line, led by left tackle Trent Williams, has held up, and San Francisco has allowed the league’s lowest pressure rate from defenses at 22.5 percent.
The 49ers also own the NFL’s highest success rate overall, and their passing game has separated itself statistically from everyone else. Their estimated points added per drop back is plus-0.58, more than twice the Dallas Cowboys’ plus-0.27 in second place.
There’s more to it than just the line. San Francisco has played with leads in all three games, which has helped keep the offense out of obvious passing downs.
Purdy has also done his part by sliding, stepping up and escaping pressure when it shows up. And Kyle Shanahan has kept rushers guessing with chips, crack blocks and a steady mix of looks.
“I think just a group, we protect very well,” Shanahan said. “And that is the O-line.
Like I said earlier, just what the tight ends and the backs, and sometimes receivers are doing with chip help. Sometimes chips don’t solve all your problems.
It might give you a little extra time, but there’s two less guys that are out (running routes) so it’s hard to get guys open.
“So we’ve done a good job mixing that stuff in. When we haven’t done that stuff, our five guys held up well.
And when they haven’t, Brock’s done a good job getting rid of the ball, which also means somebody did a good job getting open fast. So everything goes into it.
If you’re ever doing good in protection ... it’s a little bit of everything.”
There are still injury questions hanging over the offense. Mike Evans sat out Wednesday with a rib injury from Sunday’s win over Arizona, though Shanahan said he hopes Evans can practice later in the week.
Williams missed practice with a neck injury, and Dre Greenlaw was out with a quadriceps issue, though he worked on the side field during the portion open to reporters. Shanahan noted that those three, along with Christian McCaffrey, usually do not practice on Wednesdays.
The newest name on the injury list was defensive lineman Keion White, who did not practice because of a hamstring injury. He did light work on the side field early in practice.
White has sacks in each of the last two games and has been used at both defensive end and defensive tackle as the injuries pile up. His status for Sunday is unclear.
The 49ers did get one encouraging sight Wednesday when Mykel Williams returned to practice for the first time since tearing his ACL last November. Teammates greeted him with an ovation as he broke down the huddle, though Shanahan said the former first-round pick is just easing back in and won’t be pushed full speed right away. Williams began the season on the physically unable to perform list and cannot return until next week against Seattle at the earliest.
“Mykel’s just mixing in today,” Shanahan said. “Today’s his first day back in a year. So (we) probably won’t go full speed today with the amount of plays we got on Sunday, but big first day for him just to get back in there.”
San Francisco remains thin up front. Nick Bosa, CJ West, Alfred Collins and James Thompson Jr. are all out, and Romello Height missed Sunday before returning to practice Wednesday with a cast on his broken hand.
He could be available against Denver. Ogbo Okoronkwo started opposite White last week.
The 49ers also added a familiar receiver to the practice squad, bringing back Dante Pettis on Wednesday as the injuries at the position continue to mount. Pettis, who turns 31 on Oct. 23, spent the last two seasons with the New Orleans Saints after missing all of 2023 with an undisclosed injury while with the Chicago Bears.
He was in Bills camp this summer before being released at final cuts. San Francisco also signed Brandin Cooks to the practice squad last week.
Pettis was a second-round pick by the 49ers in 2018, but he never quite matched that draft status in San Francisco. Still, the team needs help now: Ricky Pearsall is out for the season, De’Zhaun Stribling is expected to miss time until mid-November, and Demarcus Robinson is out for the foreseeable future with a high-ankle sprain. Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins and KhaDarel Hodge were the top receivers at Wednesday’s practice.
Asked about Pettis’ exit from the 49ers six years ago, Shanahan pushed back on the idea that it was anything personal.
“There was no relationship issue, that’s just how it worked out,” Shanahan said. “I think people get confused sometimes with saying people are in the ‘dog house.’ ...
People sometimes get that confused with just coaching. I always loved Dante.”
In Other News...
49ers Turn To A Familiar Name As Receiver Depth Gets Tested
The 49ers are turning to a familiar face for some added help at wide receiver after Mike Evans went down with a rib injury. Dante Pettis, a former second-round pick by San Francisco in 2018, tried out for the team and is set to rejoin the roster, giving the 49ers a player who already knows the building and the demands that come with it.
Pettis has bounced around the league since his first stint in San Francisco, with stops on multiple NFL teams along the way. For a 49ers group that needs reliable depth, the move brings in a receiver with some history in the system and a chance to fill a needed spot while the wider picture at the position remains in flux. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Injury Report Suddenly Raises A Bigger Week 4 Concern
The first practice report of the week gave the 49ers a familiar mix of caution and concern, with eight players sitting out as San Francisco began turning its attention to Denver. Christian McCaffrey was among the names on the list, though his absence was part of the teams usual rest pattern rather than a new setback, and the 49ers are trying to handle several nagging issues without letting them linger into the rest of the schedule.
Brandon Aiyuk, Dre Greenlaw and Javon White were also among those held out, dealing with injuries that range from rib and quad contusions to hamstring and knee problems. With the Broncos game first on the board and more important matchups waiting beyond it, the real concern for San Francisco is less about one missed practice than how many of these players can be managed safely without creating a bigger problem later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Watkins Made His Case But The 49ers Just Complicated It
Jordan Watkins gave the 49ers something to think about in a hurry. After being inactive for the first two games, the rookie came back and made the most of his opportunity, finishing with two catches for 60 yards in a showing that fit neatly with what Kyle Shanahan has said he wants from his receivers. Shanahan praised Watkins for the way he ran routes, secured catches and contributed in the run game, all the little details that can help a young wideout earn trust quickly.
Still, the path forward is not exactly clear. San Francisco recently brought back Dante Pettis, adding another name to a receiver room where every snap can matter for a player trying to stick, and Watkins now has to keep building on a promising outing rather than simply live off it. For a player who just forced his way into the conversation, the next stretch may say a lot about whether this was a breakthrough or just the start of the battle. [Read more 🡒]