What makes 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy difficult to play against, explained by Patriots defensive coaches

Brock Purdy often doesn’t get mentioned alongside other top quarterbacks, and it’s not entirely surprising. Lacking some of the physical attributes of his peers, Purdy entered the NFL with little fanfare as the final pick of the 2022 draft. Yet, when it comes to orchestrating an offense, few deserve a higher ranking than the San Francisco 49ers’ signal-caller.

This Sunday, the New England Patriots will face Purdy for the first time, as he wasn’t yet in the NFL when they last played the 49ers in 2020. The Patriots recognize the challenge of going up against the 24-year-old.

“He does a good job of not keying in and not going to one or two guys,” linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower said on Thursday.

“It’s really easy for guys to do that early in the season, just throughout the game. But he does a good job of going through his progressions, going through his reads.”

Initially joining the 49ers as a third-string quarterback, Purdy was thrust into the starting role after injuries sidelined both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance. The Iowa State product seized the opportunity and has since become one of the most efficient passers in the league.

Through three games this season, Purdy has completed 72.6% of his passes (69 of 95 attempts) for 842 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. While he benefits from one of the NFL’s most talented supporting casts, he makes the right decisions and, as Hightower noted, effectively distributes the ball among his targets.

“You see a lot of guys you may not see getting targets in different offenses,” Hightower added. “He does a really good job going through his progressions. If you’re taking away this, he’s going to make you move here, shoot it over there. He just does a good job of having a feel for the defense and finding the open space, making guys work extra.”

But Purdy’s ability to spread the ball around isn’t his only strength. He also poses a threat as a runner.

While he may not have the speed of Lamar Jackson, the physicality of Josh Allen, or the improvisational genius of Patrick Mahomes, Purdy can still make defenses pay when he escapes the pocket. This season, he has rushed 13 times for 64 yards, averaging an impressive 4.9 yards per carry.

“He does a good job adapting to pressure, getting the ball out versus pressure,” said defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery. “He’s an athlete, too. He brings that element. He scrambles around, and sometimes that’s not always easy.”

The Patriots’ defense has struggled to contain mobile quarterbacks in recent weeks, and they cannot afford to let Purdy extend plays against them. He has shown time and again that he knows how to exploit defensive weaknesses.