49ers' Brock Purdy Talks Elbow Injury Return: 'There's Some Rust I Have to Knock Off'

Brock Purdy took a critical step in recovery from elbow surgery when he returned to San Francisco 49ers practice Thursday, but that doesn't mean the quarterback is 100 percent.

"There's some rust I have to knock off," Purdy said after training camp, per The Mercury News' Cam Inman. "I didn't get any reps in OTAs with 11-on-11, 7-on-7. Just the pace of the game, seeing a defense, dropping back, going through reads. Today was good to get out there, go through reads, let it rip."

Purdy completed only three of 10 passes during drills with the full team, but his arm looked healthy as he took multiple shots of over 40 yards, Inman reported.

"Throwing go balls and cutting some balls to the sideline, I feel I have the strength to get it there, just like I had last year," Purdy said.

After stepping into the starter's role in December, Purdy helped the 49ers go 7-1 before suffering an elbow injury on a sack during the January 29 NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He underwent surgery in March.

There is over a month left before the 49ers take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 of the regular season. Purdy may have to undergo conditioning to get back to the form that helped him finish last season as an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist, but his return to practice is still good news for San Francisco's hopes for a trophy next season.