49ers QB Brock Purdy cleared for practice without off day - ESPN

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy cleared one more significant obstacle on his road to starting in the team's Sept. 10 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Purdy will now be able to participate in three practices in a row without a built-in off day, coach Kyle Shanahan announced during his conference call Monday. It's another important step in Purdy's recovery from offseason elbow surgery.

Purdy did not play in San Francisco's loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Sunday's preseason opener but Shanahan has said Purdy could play at some point in one of the final two preseason contests. The Niners host the Denver Broncos on Saturday evening. Whenever Purdy does play, it will be his first live game reps since tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in a Jan. 29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.

After a slight delay for swelling in the elbow to subside, Purdy underwent a procedure to fix the tear on March 10. From there, Purdy has been closely monitored as he's worked his way back to full speed. He began a prescribed throwing program in late May and his medical staff and the Niners cleared him to return to practice on July 25.

At the time, general manager John Lynch said Purdy would be able to practice without limitations, but that the second-year quarterback would be following a plan that requires him to practice only two out of every three days. Shanahan said the hope was Purdy would be able to lose the requisite off day after two weeks. This week is only a few days past that benchmark but right around where Shanahan and the Niners anticipated.

Throughout camp, Purdy has taken all of the reps with the starting offense on the days he's