Golden Nuggets: Solid as the Brock of Gibraltar

Brock Purdy’s surgery postponed due to inflammation in elbow [report]

“Purdy met with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday and agreed to have his surgery postponed due to inflammation in the elbow. The two will reconvene in March.”

49ers QB Brock Purdy’s elbow surgery postponed due to ongoing swelling: Source (paywall)

“There’s so much unknown at play with Purdy’s elbow. During an interview in the run-up to the Super Bowl, he openly said that the extent of UCL damage and preferred surgery path — either the “internal brace” technique (which would carry a quicker recovery time) or a hybrid surgery involving some elbow reconstruction — wouldn’t be known with certainty until an operation to scope the situation actually started...But now surgery has been pushed back due to ongoing swelling, so it seems that all parties remain at least somewhat in the dark as to the next steps. Only this much is clear: Purdy’s return-to-play timeline, originally estimated to be six months, has only been thrust into greater question. The surgery must happen for there to be more answers.”

49ers figuring out how to take next step in Super Bowl quest

“Which means getting over the hump will have to come mostly from a combination of internal improvement, better health, finding value on the market and later in the draft, and good old-fashioned luck. The health factor remains a sticking point for the Niners, who were again one of the most injured teams in the league. While San Francisco managed to avoid a bunch of season-ending injuries, it had plenty of short-term issues for multiple starters and was hit hardest at the most important positions.”

State of the 49ers, RB: Christian McCaffrey spearheaded a huge turnaround (paywall)

“The focus during the offseason, however, will be on continuing to mold youngsters Mason and Davis-Price into form. Rushing in a zone-blocking offense requires experience and patience, especially on the wide zone runs. McCaffrey, in fact, will say that he still hasn’t fully mastered those runs, either. Still, Davis-Price and Mason promise to get the bulk of the repetitions in the spring practices.”

Greg Cosell names 2 ways Brock Purdy expanded what the 49ers could do and 2 areas in need of improvement

“One was [he has] much lighter, quicker feet,” Cosell recently told NBC Sports Bay Area. “So you saw much more play-action boot because he’s able to do that. Jimmy G could not really do that well. And the second thing was Purdy has second-reaction movement. He can make improvisational plays. We know that Jimmy G really was not that guy. So it expanded what the 49ers could do....Number one, when he felt pressure, he started to retreat backwards,” Cosell said. “You can’t retreat backwards in the NFL. And the other thing is, when he felt pressure, he would automatically run to his left, and teams would start to force him. I’m telling you right now, if he wasn’t hurt and all that, teams would start to force him to do that because you see how a guy plays over time, you get a book on him.”

Why Lance’s third season with 49ers even more ‘critical’

“Mac Jones could run Shanahan’s offense,” Breer said. “Trey Lance could help them grow Shanahan’s offense and change it and evolve it. And I think that part of it is what he can be athletically, what he can do athletically to threaten the defense.”

Aaron Rodgers explains why Brock Purdy can reach Tom Brady levels at the NFL

“Here’s what the four-time MVP said on the Pat McAfee show: “As many blue-chippers who’ve had success in the league, there’s been as many and often more who were not that. Were not the number one prospect coming out of high school, were not the number one guy coming out of college, and the first pick in the draft. Obviously you know about Tom. 198 different options to take (before) him. Joe Montana was the same way... For as many Peyton Mannings, first-pick in the drafts, there’s been a ton of these other guys. And what it does, is create this chip. And the chip can be an excellent motivator for the right disposition...“Brock was passed over by a ton of people, he went to Iowa State. I believe he has a lifetime’s worth of slights that he can pull from the moxie port,” adds Rodgers. “I have nothing but respect for the way he’s played. And I love seeing the underdog. I mean I feel like that was part of my career for a long time. Obviously, I was picked in the first round, not the last pick. But I did go to Junior College and, you know, dealt with that frustration, that turned into a definitely a chip.”