San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has impressed with his deep passing abilities, as highlighted by Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) Jim Wyman. Despite not being known for his arm strength, Purdy ranks highly in targeted deep passes during the 2023 NFL season.
Purdy, a first-round pick who has been fitting in well according to “49ers Talk” hosts Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan, has excelled in throwing passes of 20 yards or more. Wyman noted that Purdy earned a near-perfect grade for his deep passes, completing 30 out of 53 attempts for 956 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just one interception. This performance earned him a 99.9 passing grade for deep throws, placing him at the top of PFF’s list.
Here is the rest of the top 10 deep passers, according to PFF:
1. **Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers)** – 99.9 grade, 956 yards
2. **C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)** – 98.6 grade, 1204 yards
3. **Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)** – 97.8 grade, 948 yards
4. **Justin Fields (Chicago Bears)** – 96.7 grade, 697 yards
5. **Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)** – 96.6 grade, 1072 yards
6. **Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)** – 96.2 grade, 1172 yards
7. **Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)** – 96.1 grade, 1024 yards
8. **Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)** – 95.6 grade, 811 yards
9. **Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)** – 92.7 grade, 813 yards
10. **Russell Wilson (Denver Broncos)** – 92.3 grade, 855 yards
One of the common criticisms of Purdy is that he is a “system quarterback,” primarily benefiting from the yards-after-catch abilities of his playmakers on short and intermediate passes, rather than relying on his own arm talent. While Purdy excels in passes of 20 yards or shorter, he did not rank among the top 10 highest-graded quarterbacks in those categories.
However, his performance in deep passing challenges the notion that he is merely a product of the system, showcasing his ability to make significant plays down the field.
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