PFF: Brock Purdy Gets More Help than Any Other NFL Quarterback

Most people agree that Brock Purdy is a good quarterback who makes the 49ers better.

Most people also agree that Purdy benefits greatly from the 49ers’ supporting cast and offensive system. And according to Pro Football Focus, while the 49ers pass protection wasn’t elite in 2023, the 49ers had the highest-graded receiving corps and their offense led the league in expected points added on screen passes and play-action passes and run-pass options.

“The 49ers totaled four players who saw 100 or more targets in the regular season and playoffs,” writes PFF analyst Gordon McGuiness. “All four earned an 85.0-plus PFF receiving grade. 

Collectively, PFF gave the 49ers’ receiving corps a grade of 91.0, while the second-highest grade went to the Miami Dolphins who received an 85.7.

“With an EPA per play average more than three times higher than the next-best team, the 49ers screen game was in a class all by itself,” writes McGuiness. “Including playoffs, they picked up 517 receiving yards and five passing touchdowns on screens.”

The 49ers’ screen game was three times more successful than the Cowboys, who ranked second in screen pass efficiency.

“The 49ers once again led the way (in play-action passes), far outpacing any other team in the league,” wrote McGuiness. “Their quarterbacks went 104-for-140 for 1,348 yards with 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions including the playoffs last year.

Notice McGuiness wrote quarterbacks, plural. All 49ers quarterbacks benefit from Kyle Shanahan’s elite play-action scheme that forces defenses to sell out to stop Christian McCaffrey, the Offensive Player of the Year.

“The 49ers generated a positive EPA on a whopping 88.2% of their RPO passes in 2023 including the playoffs,” writes McGuiness. “Their quarterbacks went 15-for-16 for 171 yards with a touchdown and an interception from 17 dropbacks.”

The 49ers should consider these statistics carefully before they give Brock Purdy more than $60 million per season next year.