Former NFL Offensive Coordinator Evaluates 49ers QB Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy is one of the most successful young quarterbacks in NFL history, but he wouldn’t fit every offensive system. Some coaches would appreciate him more than others.

I recently interviewed former Raiders offensive coordinator Tom Walsh, who won two Super Bowls, to find out what he appreciates about Purdy. Here’s what he said. Also check out what Walsh said about the time the 49ers tried to trade Joe Montana to the Raiders but the Raiders turned them down.

ME: How do you assess Brock Purdy? What does he do well?

WALSH: “He has certain tools and attributes that are very good. He displays remarkable poise. You like a quarterback who has that even keel, not emotional, no highs and no lows. Jim Plunkett had that. Those guys are able to handle adversity and maintain the calm in the huddle. Purdy exhibits that. I like his improvisational skills. He may not be the fastest of all the quarterbacks, but he has a sense of when to move, when to slide up in the pocket, when to whip out the back door, and that is a gift. His memory is good. His instincts are good. He doesn’t have the greatest arm, but he doesn’t need the greatest arm. Timing is what you need. Joe Montana couldn’t throw the deep ball.”

ME: Would Al Davis have wanted Brock Purdy?

WALSH: “You can design an offense around what Brock can do, but if you have an owner who already has a philosophy of what he wants to be — the vertical strike — Brock would not have made our draft board. I’ll be honest.”

ME: Well he almost didn’t make the 49ers’ draft board, either. Would Al have wanted Montana?

WALSH: “The 49ers actually came to us about Joe. We watched tape about Joe. And as successful as he was — he had some of the best footwork I’ve ever seen — but he didn’t have the length in his arm to be able to get the ball down the field to satisfy Al.”

ME: “So when Al called Bill Walsh back, did he say, “Look, no thanks on Joe, but what about Steve Young? Is he available?”

WALSH: “No, Steve was untouchable.”

ME: Would Bill Walsh have wanted Brock Purdy?

WALSH: “Oh yeah. He’d be right up Bill’s alley. And Bill would have worked more on Purdy’s footwork. Bill was a footwork guy.”