Purdy out fifth straight start as Jones to start vs Giants

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss his fifth consecutive start on Sunday against the New York Giants, coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, though Purdy has progressed enough in practice that he could be active as a backup. Mac Jones will receive the start after filling in for Purdy the past six games.

Purdy injured his toe in the season opener, missed two games, returned in Week 4 and aggravated the injury, and has not played since. He has been limited in practice for several weeks as the team has tried to rebuild his confidence and evaluate his readiness. Shanahan said the team is easing Purdy back into work and that his availability will depend on how he feels after additional practice reps. "He has to let us know how good he feels," Shanahan said, calling the situation sensitive and noting the coaching staff wants Purdy to be fully confident before returning to a starting role.

General Manager John Lynch praised Jones and provided an update on Purdy's progress. "Mac's done such a great job and continues to do so," Lynch said. "Brock continues to progress. A lot of this, at this point, is going to be on trusting Brock and where he's at." Shanahan confirmed Jones...