If you want to debate whether Brock Purdy is worth his massive contract despite never winning a Super Bowl, you'd be justified in doing so. Purdy is a good, maybe even a great quarterback, yet his salary suggests he's elite. Is he? We'll certainly find out. The argument can be made for or against it. Yet, what no one can deny is that if Purdy goes down with an injury, the 49ers are not going to be any good.
Behind Purdy on the depth chart is a former Pro Bowler in Mac Jones. Jones looked promising as a member of the New England Patriots, but we haven't seen the same success in the preseason so far. Jones is 17-23, for 209 yards and zero touchdowns. Not bad, but he also has had two interceptions so far, and despite having some good wheels, he's shown no real success rushing the ball either.
That said, it seems like Jones is going to go into the regular season as the team's backup quarterback, despite his below-average, if not downright bad, preseason. Yet, this article isn't about how bad Jones has been, but about the giant missed opportunity that Carter Bradley has shown. Or hasn't shown. The undrafted prospect out of South Alabama University has shown no real progress as a player since joining the 49ers.
He wasn't brought in as a serious contender to start by any means, but some wondered if he could knock off Jones and take his spot on the roster. After how poorly Jones has played, you'd think that would be possible, but so far, Bradley has shown himself to be just as ineffective as Jones. Minus the occasional situations where Jones looked good and found success.
Bradley had every opportunity in the world to surpass Jones on the depth chart and prove that the 49ers could really add a layer of polish to a prospect. Yet, he's been ineffective, to a great degree, and has yet to prove himself a better option over Jones. Due that, it's unlikely he makes the main team out of the preseason and if he does, it'll only be due to the team carrying a third-string quarterback.
This all sums up a real situation the 49ers have to worry about in 2025. What happens to the team if Purdy gets hurt? It's becoming more and more clear the team does not have a backup they can reley on.