SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy is back and has even shed his injury designation.
Listed as questionable for the last two weeks with a case of turf toe, Purdy went through a full practice Friday and was removed from the injury report. He will start Sunday when the 49ers (3-0) host the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) Sunday (1:05 p.m., Fox) at Levi’s Stadium.
“That’s what we were hoping for,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Talking to him Monday and Tuesday — he wasn’t full on Wednesday or Thursday — you could tell it was going in that direction and today he woke up feeling good.”
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (knee, shoulder) practiced for the first time this week and was listed as questionable. So were wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. (knee), cornerback Renardo Green (neck), quarterback Mac Jones (knee) and guard Connor Colby (groin). Defensive tackle C.J. West (thumb) and wide receiver Jordan Watkins (calf) are out.
Jennings appeared to be moving well at practice during the brief media window. Pearsall said Wednesday he was fine and insisted he would play Sunday. With Demarcus Robinson returning from a three-game suspension, the 49ers’ corps of wide receivers will be as close to full strength as its been all year.
The 49ers will be without Nick Bosa, who Shanahan said had surgery Friday and would begin the rehab process. The surgery will sideline Bosa for the season. Purdy’s return could add a shot of adrenaline to help combat the blow of losing their defensive star.
“Guys have so much confidence in Brock and they obviously had a lot in Mac before and even more after going through two games with him,” Shanahan said. “Just getting Brock back, the command he has in the huddle, the confidence he gives guys around him in the huddle, during plays and around the building, it’s nice to have him back in there.”
There were clues during week Purdy would reassume his role. Shanahan tipped his hand on KNBR-680 Thursday when he said Purdy was able to do more than Jones in practice.
Both Purdy and Jones said Thursday they were confident in their ability to play.
Signs of the times
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh made an unprompted accusation of sorts about Jacksonville’s ability to pilfer information on occasion, although noting they were were doing nothing illegal.
“They’ve got legally, a really advanced signal-stealing type system where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation,” Saleh said. “They do a great job with it. They formation you to just try to find any nugget they can.”
Shanahan’s reaction?
“I think it’s common,” Shanahan said. “I think he was trying to give them a compliment. I think when `sign stealing’ is used in that compliment it comes out the wrong way. They’re good at what they do and everybody tries to do it to a degree. Just let ’em know that we know.”
Saleh went on to say people in the Sean McVay coaching tree — which includes Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen and Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell — were particularly good at stealing.
“All those guys, they all do it,” Saleh said.
That effectively put the next two opponents on notice that the 49ers will be on the lookout, given that they face McVay and the Los Angeles Rams Thursday night in SoFi Stadium in their Week 5 game.
Coen, when he spoke to the Jacksonville media Friday, deflected sign-stealing questions without denying it.
“I’m not going to speak on that fully right now,” Coen said. “We have a huge game for us coming up this weekend. We’ve got a great defense that we’ve got to go and attack and that’s where our whole mindset and mentality is right now.”
Coincidentally (or not) Saleh was an offseason candidate for the Jacksonville head coaching job that went to Coen.
Shanahan, tongue in cheek, suggested the 49ers would never be involved in stealing signs.
“We truly believe in being fair in every aspect,” Shanahan said.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh of the 49ers let Jacksonville know they were on to their ability to steal signs. Getty Images
Two-way 49ers?
Is there anyone on the 49ers that could be a two-way player the way Travis Hunter is attempting with the Jaguars?
Pearsall nominated fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
“I feel like Juice might be up there,” Pearsall said. “I feel like he could play linebacker. I think Fred (Warner) is up there, he could play a little bit of tight end. B.A. (Brandon Aiyuk) he could probably play a little bit of defensive back too. He’s really long. And he definitely thinks he can play D.B.”
Running back Christian McCaffrey saluted Hunter and said he played safety in high school, where his position coach was former NFL safety Brian Dawkins. He liked Trent Williams’ chances of being a defensive lineman.
“I concur,” Williams said. “I could do a little three technique.”
Mac and Trevor
Jones started seven games for Jacksonville last season after Trevor Lawrence went on injured reserve following a concussion.
Asked how Lawrence has handled the criticism that comes with being a No. 1 overall pick who hasn’t met the lofty pre-draft expectations, Jones said, “Let me call and ask him real quick.”
More seriously, Jones said he and Lawrence have a great relationship.
“Trevor’s always been the guy that everybody’s chasing from my age group,” Jones said. “He’s younger than me by a year, but he was always the top guy and he’s a great athlete, great quarterback, great thrower and everywhere he has gone he rose to the challenge. Being in the room with him last year, we became really became close friends, to be honest.”
Wilks on CMC
Steve Wilks, the embattled 49ers defensive coordinator who lasted just one season in an NFC championship year, responded this way when it was relayed to him that former Carolina quarterback Baker Mayfield blamed him for being released. Wilks was the Panthers interim head coach at the time, replacing Matt Ruhle.
Wilks is now defensive coordinator for the New York Jets.
“I don’t know how long you’ve been doing this, but I’m sure you’re quite educated on it: I don’t really think an interim coach has that much authority over personnel,” Wilks told reporters Thursday. “If that’s the case, I would have never gotten rid of our best player, Christian McCaffrey.”
The 49ers acquired McCaffrey in 2022.
Originally Published: September 26, 2025 at 2:08 PM PDT