The San Francisco 49ers have solely performed one recreation of the 2025 NFL season, and already they’re coping with vital damage points.
San Francisco’s dramatic 17-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks was a pyrrhic one, as tight finish George Kittle suffered a hamstring damage that may see him miss 4 weeks after he was placed on injured reserve.
Shedding Kittle was an enormous blow by itself, however worse information has come this week regarding quarterback Brock Purdy, who’s reportedly set to miss two to five weeks with turf toe, a sprain on the base of the ligaments of the massive toe.
The 49ers are actually set to show to backup Mac Jones in Week 2, with the date of Purdy’s return essential as San Francisco goals to keep away from falling right into a gap that rapidly diminish hopes of returning to the playoffs.
Jones is a quarterback whom many see as an ideal match for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system. The 49ers had the prospect to pick out him third total within the 2021 draft, however as an alternative went with Trey Lance in a major misstep, with San Francisco’s blushes spared by the emergence of seventh-round choose Purdy.
Over 4 years on, Jones is now set to get his likelihood to play for Shanahan in a regular-season recreation, however there’s little doubt he will probably be a downgrade from Purdy, making a possible five-game absence an enormous problem for San Francisco to beat.
Right here’s a have a look at the video games Purdy might miss.
Week 2: @ New Orleans Saints
Purdy is ready to be a spectator for essentially the most manageable recreation of the stretch, with the 49ers visiting a Saints staff many view because the favorites for the primary total choose in subsequent 12 months’s draft.
The Superdome is an imposing and really loud area, and the Saints hung robust in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals final week, solely dropping 20-13.
Nonetheless, the 49ers will probably be assured of their protection carrying the load in opposition to quarterback Spencer Rattler and transferring to 2-0. With the video games that comply with, there’s an argument to be made that, if Purdy is out for a full 5 weeks, their success in avoiding an upset on this one might make or break the 49ers’ season.
Week 3: vs. Arizona Cardinals
That is the place issues begin to get more durable.
The Cardinals are on no account a juggernaut, however they’re a staff on the rise and gained this similar fixture final season due to a fourth-quarter comeback.
Kyler Murray is a quarterback from whom his undoubtedly lofty ceiling at all times appears simply out of attain, however he has constantly confounded the 49ers along with his dual-threat capacity. On the opposite facet of the ball, the Cardinals have the defensive expertise to make it an extended afternoon for Mac Jones if Purdy does certainly miss San Francisco’s house opener at Levi’s Stadium.
Week 4: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Ought to Purdy return for this matchup, the 49ers will probably be anticipated to prevail.
The 49ers have dominated latest video games with the Jaguars, most lately crushing them on the street en path to an look in Tremendous Bowl 58 within the 2023 season.
However a Purdy absence would make a gathering with Trevor Lawrence, for whom Jones served because the backup final 12 months, considerably tougher.
The Jags have a pointy offensive thoughts at head coach in Liam Coen who’s hoping to elicit elite degree quarterback play from former primary choose Lawrence, and are blessed with vital younger expertise on the offensive facet of the ball.
There’s additionally the revenge recreation narrative at play right here, with former San Francisco defensive sort out Arik Armstead aiming to make the 49ers pay for parting firm with him final 12 months following a contract dispute.
Week 5: at Los Angeles Rams
After the Jaguars recreation, the 49ers face a brief week as they make the journey south to face their in-state rivals on Thursday Night time Soccer.
It has grow to be the norm for 49ers followers to pack out SoFi Stadium for this recreation, with the house of the Rams coming to be often known as ‘Levi’s South’ by San Francisco followers.
However the 49ers noticed their dominance of this rivalry interrupted final season because the Rams swept the sequence, successful at house with a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback. If Purdy continues to be unavailable, then it will likely be very tough to see the Niners prevailing in what will probably be Kittle’s final recreation on the sidelines.
Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The advantage of taking part in on a brief week is the prolonged relaxation forward of the next recreation, and the 49ers will probably be hoping that performs a task in them recording one other win in Tampa, having come by way of a thriller in opposition to Baker Mayfield and Co. final season.
Tampa Bay, although, has a loaded offense and a protection boasting expertise at each degree. The cross-country journey could be extraordinarily robust even with Purdy again within the fray. Dealing with the Bucs on the street with Jones at quarterback could be a recipe for a depressing journey.
