"You might see a couple," Shanahan said. "We've got to see how it pans out tomorrow with practice, but I'd be surprised if you guys saw too many out there."
That likely means quarterback Brock Purdy will watch from the sidelines. While Shanahan didn't entirely rule out the possibility of his starting quarterback taking a few snaps, he strongly hinted that Purdy won't suit up this weekend.
"You always want the quarterback to get work," Shanahan explained. "You want everyone out there to get work, but it's really not something that I enjoy. You're hoping they get work, but all you're trying to do is make sure, most important, you get them out of there before they get injured, and that's probably why you guys have most likely seen the last of him until Week 1."
If Purdy sits, he'll finish the preseason having played just one drive—last weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders. In that limited action, the 49ers' QB looked sharp, completing 5 of 7 passes for 66 yards. Three of those completions went to rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who has impressed throughout camp.
"I thought they carried over what they've been doing in practice to that first drive," Shanahan said. "I think Brock and Ricky have been connecting a lot. I think Brock's got a real good rhythm going with him. I think he's had a good one going with [WR Demarcus Robinson]. I mean, those have been our two most consistent guys, who've been there pretty much every day throughout camp, minus Ricky that first week.
"So, when that happens, you only get better. They're really in rhythm right now, and hopefully, that can continue to Week 1."
The 49ers won't have Robinson available when they open the regular season on September 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. Shanahan confirmed that the NFL has suspended the veteran receiver for three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Brock Purdy: I still have a lot to learn from Kyle Shanahan
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy views head coach Kyle Shanahan as one of the best offensive minds in football, even calling him a "Hall of Fame coach" during a recent conversation with Tim Kawakami on The TK Show podcast. Purdy's respect for Shanahan is clear, and... -
49ers insider: It's reasonable to expect Ricky Pearsall to miss the 2026 season
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has already missed 14 games through his first two NFL seasons, and now his entire 2026 campaign could be in jeopardy. Pearsall battled a PCL injury during the 2025 season, but the expectation—or hope—was that the issue would... -
49ers stars expect to get the best version of Deebo Samuel in 2026
The San Francisco 49ers are clearly excited about getting the band back together for the 2026 season. Earlier this offseason, the team reunited with linebacker Dre Greenlaw after his one-year stint with the Denver Broncos. On Thursday night, reports surfaced that the 49ers are... -
49ers training camp Day 8: Brock Purdy stays hot, rookie DT turning heads, and other quick hits
The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field Thursday with a lengthy injury list, but Brock Purdy continued to provide plenty of reasons for optimism while a rookie defender continued building momentum. Here are the quick hits from Day 8 of training camp. The 49ers...