49ers seek another quarterback after Brock Purdy described as ‘long shot’ to play
San Francisco faces roster constraints that leave Mac Jones as the starter and Adrian Martinez the only healthy backup while Brock Purdy recovers from shoulder and toe injuries
The San Francisco 49ers said they want to add a quarterback after coach Kyle Shanahan described Brock Purdy as a "long shot" to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints because of shoulder and toe injuries that could keep him out for multiple weeks.
Shanahan said Wednesday the team would like to have three quarterbacks available but is constrained by roster rules and injuries, leaving them with Patriots draft pick-turned-journeyman Mac Jones as the starter and practice-squad quarterback Adrian Martinez as the backup. Seventh-round rookie Kurtis Rourke remains on the non-football injury list while recovering from a torn ACL and is expected to miss the 2025 season.
"We'd love to have three guys in the building ready to go," Shanahan said. "We've got some roster issues where we just can't bring one in right away." Purdy signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension with the 49ers during the offseason.
With Purdy unavailable, San Francisco turned to Jones, 27, who spent the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars as Trevor Lawrence's backup after being traded by the New England Patriots. Jones appeared in 10 games last season and started seven, finishing with 1,672 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Jones was the No. 15 overall pick in 2021 and earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie after throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His trajectory changed in subsequent seasons, culminating in a trade and a backup role in 2024.
Adrian Martinez, whom the 49ers signed to the practice squad in late August after the Jets waived him, is the only other quarterback listed as healthy on the active roster. Martinez, 25, has not yet appeared in a regular-season NFL game.
The 49ers face the Saints on Sunday and must navigate short-term roster maneuvering while assessing Purdy's recovery timetable. Shanahan's comments underscored the team's preference for deeper quarterback depth, but the combination of Purdy's injuries and Rourke's season-ending recovery limits immediate options.
The club's next roster moves will be watched closely, as the 49ers weigh the need to add a veteran passer against the constraints of practice-squad elevations, waivers and in-season signings.