49ers don’t need Brock Purdy to be Superman, just a more efficient Clark Kent

After a first half of the season filled with turmoil and a disappointing 4-4 record, the San Francisco 49ers still find themselves tied atop the NFC West. And as the 49ers head into their Week 9 bye, things could finally be settling in for quarterback Brock Purdy & Co.

Yes, top receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who signed a lucrative, multi-year deal just before the season, is out for the remainder of the year due to torn knee ligaments. But the 49ers have reinforcements in place with first-round selection Ricky Pearsall and fourth-round selection Jacob Cowing. Pearsall recently made his pro debut after recovering from a gunshot wound he sustained in an attempted robbery in August.

The best third receiver in the league, Jauan Jennings, is expected to return next week from a hip injury, along with kicker Jake Moody (high-ankle sprain) shortly after. And defensively, the 49ers are hopeful to get back foundational players from injury in linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga later this season.

The best news for San Francisco is that Christian McCaffrey, the engine of the team's offense, is hopeful to be back for the team's Week 10 contest on the road against Tampa Bay. McCaffrey has been out all season recovering from Achilles tendinitis.

That means Purdy can stop trying to carry the offense and get back to being the efficient playmaker and decision-maker who was an MVP candidate the past two seasons.

Over his past four games, Purdy has been up-and-down statistically. He has completed 60% of his passes for 971 yards, with five touchdowns and five interceptions for an 82.3 passer rating. The 49ers went 2-2 in those games, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Cardinals.

"From my mindset, I've got to get back to basics," Purdy told reporters after San Francisco's win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. "Keep things simple in my mind. Still playing with conviction but being aggressive. And just trusting in my guys." 

While Purdy has struggled at times, just look at his numbers in the final eight games of last season for reason for optimism. He completed 70.5% of his passes for 2,247 yards, with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions for a league-leading 120.8 passer rating. San Francisco finished out the season 7-2, earning the No. 1 seed in the postseason. 

Over the past two seasons, San Francisco has posted a 16-2 record from Week 9 to the end of the regular season. Those strong finishes led to an NFC title and Super Bowl appearance. Five of San Francisco's nine games to finish this season are on the road, and six come against teams that made the playoffs last year.

Before Tuesday's trade deadline, the 49ers could look to add another piece or two. Players like Cleveland Browns edge rusher Za'darius Smith or New England Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux could bolster a unit that has not played up to high expectations under new coordinator Nick Sorenson. 

Regarding trades, there's been some reporting recently that the Niners could move on from Purdy rather than sign him to a contract in the neighborhood of $50 to $60 million a year. 

The 49ers are saddled with an aging roster of bloated contracts, and Purdy enters the final year of his cheap rookie deal after this season. So, instead of paying Purdy top-10 quarterback money, the team could flip him for picks, acquiring the draft compensation to rebuild under another inexpensive quarterback. Essentially, the 49ers could repeat the blueprint of what they've done with Purdy at the helm.

However, it's far more likely that the organization will sign him to a new deal after the season. 

Purdy is San Francisco's quarterback of the present and the future. And head coach Kyle Shanahan is betting on another strong finish from this year's group to make yet another Super Bowl push.

"I feel we're capable of doing everything else we set out for," Shanahan told reporters. "I look at where our team is at and where I think our team can be, and I don't think we're there yet. 

"I think there are a lot of things we need to improve on. I think we are gradually doing that. But I think we've got the guys here capable of doing it. We've just got to make sure we become a better team in the second half than we were in the first half."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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