NFC Notes: Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray, Cooper Kupp, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

49ers QB Brock Purdy has so far shown almost no dropoff from his hot start to his career last season. San Francisco is one of just two unbeaten teams still at 4-0 and Purdy has yet to throw an interception. He’s thrown five touchdowns and in a win against the Cardinals in Week 4, he completed 20 of 21 pass attempts.

Yet a lot of people still attach the “system quarterback” label to Purdy due to the 49ers’ ridiculous offensive talent and the presence of HC Kyle Shanahan, who has a long track record of maximizing production from quarterbacks who otherwise were more inconsistent. Shanahan says that’s not fair to Purdy, though. 

“That’s pretty ridiculous,” Shanahan said via 49ersWebzone.com’s David Bonilla. “You just got to watch the tape. I mean, he plays at a high level every time he’s been out there. And he’s done it in a lot of different situations versus a lot of different defenses, on the road, at home, in playoff games, when injured. You can’t do all that stuff [if you’re a system quarterback]. He’s been out there too long. It’s on tape.”

Cardinals

• Cardinals OC Drew Petzing says it’s going to be a balance working QB Kyler Murray back into the offense. (Bo Brack)
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says it has seemed for a while like early November will be the time to start watching for a return from Murray.
• He adds Murray likely won’t play behind current starting QB Joshua Dobbs but the former journeyman has done a good job executing Petzing’s scheme and creating a comparison for when Murray plays. 
• Breer mentions Cardinals TE Zach Ertz as a potential trade candidate ahead of the October deadline. 

Rams

• Rams HC Sean McVay on WR Cooper Kupp‘s return: “We want to be smart as we kind of ramp up his workload throughout the course of the week with the goal of him being ready to go and we’ll see exactly what that looks like as the week progresses.” (Sarah Barshop)