Ex-NFL GM Determines if Fate of the 49ers is ‘Purdy’ Certain

Getty Brock Purdy throws the ball facing a rush on December 4, 2022 in Santa Clara.

Did Brock Purdy save the San Francisco 49ers‘ season? Or is there still doubt hovering over a team making a push for the postseason now that the Niners are down to their third quarterback option? Let alone a rookie?

The former Iowa State Cyclone has sparked plenty of reactions and intrigue across the league — including ISU legend Sage Rosenfels, former NFL lineman and NFL Network personality Brian Baldinger and 49ers icon Steve Young both chiming in on his Sunday, December 4 performance against the Miami Dolphins.

Now, one man who spent his NFL career making draft day decisions and helping sign free agents chimed in Purdy — and answers if the fate of the 49ers is either a “Purdy” certain or uncertain one.

Ex-NFL GM Gives his Take on Purdy

Former NFL general manager and Heavy contributor Randy Mueller was one who closely evaluated Purdy’s afternoon in the 33-17 romp of the Dolphins.

What did Mueller determine after Purdy stepped in for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo? A mix of positive and negative.

“I saw both good and bad in his performance while leading the San Francisco 49ers to a win over Miami,” Mueller wrote in his column on Friday, December 9. “Purdy flashed moments. He showed the stage was not too big for him by playing with poise, making good decisions for the most part, and showing the wherewithal to run and administrate an NFL offense in a regular season game. He flashed the ability to anticipate, and athleticism to get away from pressure and he showed confidence to attempt throws into tight windows.

“All this, while getting little or no reps in the practice leading up to the game,” the 2000 NFL Executive of the Year continued. “But, the biggest positive to me is that his intangibles and leadership stood out, as was evidenced by the post-game comments of many, which lead one to believe that he has the confidence and respect of the locker room and front office going forward. So much so, that the 49ers did not put in a claim for Baker Mayfield this week, who many thought would be a good fit as a stop-gap replacement for Garoppolo.”

So that’s the positive aspect of Purdy’s game Mueller determined. Now comes the negative side.

Did Purdy Show he Should’ve Went Higher in the Draft?

Mueller, again, spent his career evaluating talent regardless of where they were projected to be taken come draft day. And in the case of someone with nearly 30 years of expertise in the NFL, Mueller knows flaws when he sees it.

And in the case of Purdy, Mueller still caught glimpses of why the former Big 12 quarterback fell so low in the 2022 draft.

“The downside comes, in my opinion, from the inconsistent physical skills that made him a late-round pick in the first place. Purdy missed several throws of an easy nature, his accuracy was shaky at best and he showed very ordinary velocity on his fastball,” Mueller pointed out.

But now comes the final question: Does Mueller believe that given the circumstances facing Purdy and the Niners, plus the flaws in his throwing accuracy as he captured from his emergency elevation, that Purdy can still be someone that a renowned quarterback guru in Kyle Shanahan can work with for rest of the season?

“I think it’s definitely something that Kyle Shanahan can work with, probably enough to still win the division with,” Mueller predicted. “But a deep playoff run will be determined by how much improvement Purdy can make on a week-to-week scale over the coming six weeks.”