49ers' Shanahan: Purdy would 'have to melt in practice' to lose starting job

Brock Purdy has a firm grasp on the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback job.

"He would have to melt in practice to lose it," head coach Kyle Shanahan told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. "And Brock's too good of a player to melt in practice."

Team doctors have cleared Purdy to practice without taking days off, Shanahan announced Monday, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Purdy previously participated on consecutive days with a built-in off day the following practice.

The 23-year-old tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles and underwent surgery to repair the ailment in March.

Quarterbacks Trey Lance and Sam Darnold are behind Purdy on the Niners' depth chart. Former third overall pick Lance started the team's preseason opener, throwing for 112 yards and one touchdown.

Purdy stepped in for Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 12 last season after the veteran passer left with a foot injury. He threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns, leading the team to victory.

The Iowa State product went 8-1 in nine starts last campaign, including the playoffs, with the only loss coming in the NFC Championship Game.

"The games Brock played in, he played at as high a level as you can ask for, as consistent a level as you can ask for," Shanahan said, according to Breer. "Hell yeah, you can win with that and be very happy with that. That was (seven full) games, there's a lot that goes into it, and we'll see how it goes. I mean, we played good enough in those games to say we're going with him this year."

Purdy was the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has 1,374 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine career regular-season games.

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