NFL analyst Brian Baldinger joined Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game to discuss San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who is heading into an offseason where he becomes eligible for a contract extension.
Fans remain divided over Purdy's value, and his recent two-interception performance against the Detroit Lions has fueled ongoing debates. Purdy's inconsistent 2024 campaign has left many questioning whether the third-year player should be paid as an elite quarterback.
However, Baldinger pointed to a different issue: Purdy's injury history. The quarterback exited Monday night's game with an injury, and the severity was unclear at the time of the interview. Head coach Kyle Shanahan later revealed that Purdy sustained a right elbow contusion with nerve inflammation.
Although Purdy is unlikely to play in Sunday's season finale against the Arizona Cardinals, the injury is not considered a long-term concern. Purdy stayed healthy throughout the 2023 season after undergoing major surgery on his throwing arm. This season, he missed a game with a shoulder injury before this latest setback.
Baldinger believes there is enough history to cause concern.
"There is a track record there that gives you cause for concern," Baldinger said. "It just does. When you can line up and play 17 [games] every year, that concern never crosses your mind. [Lions QB] Jared Goff can do that. He has done that.
"But it is a cause for concern. I would be more concerned about the injury history right now than I would be about late-game mistakes."
Baldinger acknowledged that quarterbacks like Goff may be exceptions when it comes to durability. Injuries are becoming increasingly common among quarterbacks. He cited examples such as Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, and Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.
"It's the nature of the position right now," Baldinger explained. "It would be good if, on that play that [Lions S] Brian Branch hit him on, that they would have known that the safety was blitzing. Now, I saw it. He's up in the line of scrimmage. What else is Brian Branch doing there? You would think that you'd have a little bit of awareness that he's there, and they didn't, and he got hit.
"But it's the nature of the position. These guys are getting hit by monsters and getting crushed. I honestly don't know how some of them survive a season with some of the hits that they take."
You can listen to Baldinger's entire interview below.
