By Vic Tafur, Dianna Russini and Matt Barrows
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is a “long shot” to play against the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans, coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday, and could miss multiple weeks with an injury to his big toe. Purdy did not practice Wednesday.
Purdy is also dealing with a sore left (non-throwing) shoulder, but the toe injury is more serious. Shanahan revealed Monday that Purdy, despite playing all of Sunday’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, was uncertain for Week 2.
On Wednesday, Shanahan said the injury happened on a tackle by Seahawks safety Julian Love while Purdy was scrambling in the second quarter. Love landed on the backs of Purdy’s legs as the quarterback lunged for the first-down marker on third-and-1. Shanahan declined to specify which big toe is injured.
The Saints are preparing as if they’ll be facing backup Mac Jones on Sunday, according to a league source familiar with their preparation.
Shanahan said he has plenty of confidence in Jones, a one-time draft crush. The 49ers were interested in drafting Jones in 2021, and Shanahan finally got his man this spring in free agency after Jones had stints with the Patriots and Jaguars.
“Mac knows how to play the position,” the coach said. “He can play well in the pocket, distributes the ball well, sees coverages well, can play fast in there. He’s got a lot of good film. … Tough guy — will hang in there and deliver the ball where it needs to go.”
The Niners have Adrian Martinez on the practice squad, but the third-stringer has never played in an NFL regular-season game. Shanahan said the team would like to add a veteran option this week, but added it might be difficult because of a lack of roster flexibility at other spots.
“We just don’t know if we can,” he said.
The 49ers brought in quarterback Mike White, who spent the preseason with the Buffalo Bills, for a tryout on Tuesday. White threw to a group of tight end tryout players, including ex-Packer Messiah Swinson, whom the 49ers added to the practice squad.
White has played for the New York Jets when Mike LaFleur was the offensive coordinator and for Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Both were offensive coaches under Kyle Shanahan, meaning White is familiar with San Francisco’s offense.
Purdy was 26 of 35 for 277 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner to Jake Tonges with 1:34 left, on Sunday against the Seahawks. He has missed three games over the last two years because of injury.
(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
