Steve Young shares why Brock Purdy is perfect for 49ers

Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young explained why Brock Purdy is the perfect signal-caller for the 2023 edition of the San Francisco 49ers even though Purdy has made just 13 meaningful pro starts, including the playoffs, during his career. 

"...They might start slow," Young said about the Niners during an appearance on San Francisco sports radio station KNBR, per David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "They'll get it right. They've got a quarterback, if he makes mistakes early, he won't make them again."

Purdy thus far hasn't made many mistakes en route to guiding the 49ers to a 5-0 record ahead of this Sunday's game at the 2-2 Cleveland Browns. According to ESPN stats, he enters this weekend leading the NFL among qualified players with an 83.5 adjusted QBR and a 123.1 passer rating on the season. Purdy is second in the league with a 72.1% completion percentage and an average of 9.3 yards per pass attempt, and he tossed nine touchdown passes and zero interceptions across the campaign's first five weeks. 

"He'll calm things down," Young added about what Purdy offers a 49ers team expected to compete for a championship. "He won't take chances and make a four-interception game; just won't do it. So it's like we're not going to get into a jam where you get in the second half, and we're now down 10-3. It won't happen."

As of Friday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the 49ers as the overall betting favorites at +450 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII and as nine-point favorites to earn a victory at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday. The Browns will be without quarterback Deshaun Watson for a second consecutive game as he deals with a rotator cuff contusion.

Also on Friday, OddsChecker had Purdy as third among the betting favorites at +700 odds to earn Most Valuable Player honors behind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs (+475) and Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins (+500). Purdy could be the best value-bet of those three players assuming he avoids a major hiccup or two over the next few months.