With Brock Purdy still dealing with a nagging toe injury, Mac Jones will start against Tampa Bay in Week 6. The 49ers' head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Purdy wasn't at Wednesday's practice.
Jones has been impressive as a replacement, posting a perfect 3-0 record this season. His most recent win came in a nail-biting overtime game against Los Angeles, where he threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns.
Under Shanahan's system, the backup quarterback has performed well, completing 67% of his passes while throwing six touchdowns and just one interception. Though Jones practiced Wednesday, he wasn't at full strength, dealing with knee and side injuries.
"Obviously a guy who hasn't been in your system very long and hasn't gotten a lot of experience very long, you want to be as careful as you can," said Shanahan to Yahoo Sports, speaking about third-string quarterback Adrian Martinez.
Martinez remains ready as the backup. While the UFL MVP hasn't played in an NFL game yet, he almost got his chance when Jones took a hard hit late in the Rams game.
The toe problem has kept the starter on the sidelines since Week 1. Doctors initially expected recovery to take between two and five weeks.
The 49ers lead with three wins in NFC West games, but their quarterback situation is getting tested as injuries pile up for their top players.
The toe injury affects Purdy's throwing motion, making it hard to plant his back foot. He's also dealt with a right shoulder issue in Week 11 and an elbow injury near the end of last season.
The team's decision to keep Purdy off IR suggests they think he'll be back soon. For now, Martinez's move up from practice squad gives them needed backup at quarterback.
