49ers to start Jones at QB in place of ailing Purdy

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Barring a important last-minute change, the San Francisco 49ers volition commencement Mac Jones astatine backmost for a 2nd consecutive week Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

Starter Brock Purdy is listed arsenic questionable for Sunday arsenic helium works his mode backmost from the toed wounded that kept him retired past week against the New Orleans Saints. And though Purdy was a constricted subordinate successful signifier each 3 days this week and made what manager Kyle Shanahan called "a batch of progress" successful his recovery, Shanahan wasn't keen connected Purdy's chances of starting against Arizona.

"I deliberation it's highly improbable that helium volition start," Shanahan said Friday. "We're conscionable trying to spot wherever he's astatine to spot if helium tin beryllium a 2 oregon an exigency 3."

Shanahan said whether Purdy is successful azygous arsenic a backup to Jones volition beryllium connected however helium feels implicit the adjacent 48 hours. The Niners volition spot however Purdy is doing connected Saturday and past indispensable marque immoderate roster decisions connected Saturday day to find whether Purdy tin beryllium the superior backup to Jones oregon whether they'll request to again elevate signifier squad backmost Adrian Martinez to beryllium Jones' apical backup.

According to league rules, if the Niners privation Purdy to beryllium the exigency No. 3 quarterback, the No. 2 backmost (in this lawsuit Martinez) would person to beryllium promoted to the progressive roster and could not conscionable beryllium a modular elevation who reverts to the signifier squad connected Monday.

All of that volition play into the calculus erstwhile it comes to whether Purdy tin beryllium disposable against the Cardinals oregon whether helium volition beryllium a pregame inactive similar helium was past week.

For his part, Purdy said Thursday helium wants to play but besides doesn't privation to jeopardize immoderate much games beyond this week.

"I privation to play each game," Purdy said. "I privation to beryllium retired there. You lone get 17 regular-season games and each crippled matters, particularly a divisional [game] going against the Cardinals. If you inquire me, I'd emotion to, but I'm trying to beryllium astute with my assemblage here."

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (ankle, shoulder) and defender Connor Colby (groin) are besides listed arsenic questionable. Jennings did not signifier this week, portion Colby, who was acceptable to measurement into the starting lineup for an injured Ben Bartch, was wounded successful Thursday's signifier and was constricted successful Friday's session.