49ers Work Out Three QBs Amid Injuries to Brock Purdy and Mac Jones
When an NFL team brings in three quarterbacks for workouts in October, it’s usually not a good thing, but that’s exactly where the San Francisco 49ers find themselves heading into Week 6.
With Brock Purdy sidelined by a nagging toe injury and Mac Jones nursing multiple ailments of his own, the Niners are understandably looking around at who else is available.
With Purdy out and a banged-up Jones leading the 4-1 Niners into a huge showdown with the also 4-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend, Adrian Martinez will be the 49ers backup once again. Martinez has never played in an NFL game, and it’s clear Kyle Shanahan and company still aren’t sure what they have in him.
“This week, Shanahan said Martinez took more reps with the first team, so the team had the chance to evaluate him running the offense as opposed to running scout team cards, where the cards tell you who to throw the ball to before you leave the huddle,” Niners Nation’s Kyle Posey wrote, adding:
“Shanahan said, to a degree, he has a package of plays in his head about what he’d potentially have to run for Martinez. And a better feeling about Martinez than he had in the past few weeks. Coincidentally, after seeing Martinez practice for a week, the 49ers worked out three quarterbacks.”
San Francisco 49ers Bring QBs Desmond Ridder, Nathan Peterman & Quinten Dormady in for Workouts
As reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on October 10, the 49ers brought quarterbacks Desmond Ridder, Nathan Peterman and Quinten Dormady in for workouts, but didn’t sign any of the three. While that means Martinez will be QB2 once again vs. the Bucs, it doesn’t mean San Francisco won’t sign any of them in the near future.
Ridder is the most intriguing of the group. The 26-year-old has played in 25 games, starting 18. A third-round pick for the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, he has completed 63.6% of his passes for 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 picks.
He’s bounced around this year (Cincinnati, then Minnesota), but Ridder has mobility, and far more experience than Martinez. If San Francisco wants someone who could run a functional offense on short notice, Ridder’s the most obvious candidate of the three.
Peterman is kind of the “break-glass-in-case-of-emergency” option for the 49ers. He’s functional, technically, although watching him is always a white-knuckling adventure.
Over seven seasons, Peterman has appeared in 15 games, with five starts. He has 712 yards, four touchdowns and 13 interceptions in that span. The numbers aren’t pretty, but he’s experienced enough to be somewhat useful if things spiral further.
Then, there’s Quinten Dormady. He’s never been on an active NFL roster, but he’s piled up decent numbers in spring leagues: 1,507 yards, 10 touchdowns and five picks in the XFL, followed by 1,206 yards and six scores in the UFL. He’s more of a developmental piece than anything else, but as a practice squad arm or third-stringer, he’s worth a look.
49ers Injuries to Brock Purdy & Mac Jones Could Force San Francisco’s Hand
Purdy’s turf toe has cost him three of the last four games and kept him off the practice field again this week. He’s not on injured reserve, which is likely a sign the team thinks he’ll be back soon, but he’s also not playing this week. It remains to be seen whether the tow issue continues to linger, but if it does, the Niners could be in trouble.
Jones, meanwhile, has been holding things together, but just barely. He’s dealing with a lingering knee injury he got Week 3, and now an oblique strain from the Niners’ Week 5 overtime win over the Rams. Jones will be under center again Week 6, but if he suffers any type of setback, the 49ers could give Ridder, Peterman, Dormady — or someone else entirely — another call.
Red Sox Floated As Trade Landing Spot For Cy Young Winner In Dream Deal
The Boston Red Sox need to make some massive moves in the coming months in order to continue progressing toward a World Series.
The Red Sox have talent a lot of big steps in the right direction this year, but the next few trade and free agency decisions could make or break the franchise. There's one dream trade the Red Sox could pursue, though it's unlikely.
FanSided's Wynston Wilcox recently listed the Red Sox has a potential trade destination for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Skubal is entering the final year of his contract in 2026, which could result in a trade if the Tigers aren't able to re-sign him.
Tarik Skubal's contract is slowly running out
"The Boston Red Sox need to make up for the Walker Buehler mistake from last winter. They brought him in to be the No. 2 behind Garrett Crochet and he was inconsistent and frustrating for much of the season," Wilcox wrote. "Adding Skubal would not only help the Red Sox forget about Buehler, but it will also help them avenge an early playoff exit to rival New York Yankees this October. The Red Sox had an interesting start to the 2025 season between the Rafael Devers drama, losing their starting first baseman to injury and then the fallout from abruptly trading Devers.
"All of that masked their pitching problem, which was headlined by Buehler’s shortcomings. Skubal can solve a lot of those problems. I think the Red Sox might have actually gotten better offensively once they moved past Devers, so in theory, they should still have some good bats returning. I’m sure they’ll be interested in adding some offensive depth as well, but giving Crochet a running mate is the easiest way to level this team up over the winter."
Any Skubal trade talk is purely speculative at this point. It could make sense for the Tigers to trade their ace, but given the fact that they're among the best teams in the American League, holding onto him in hopes of a World Series push makes more sense.
However, if they do use him as a trade chip, the Red Sox could be the perfect suitor. They have the prospect capital and young talent, like Marcelo Mayer or Kristian Campbell, to move in order to land Skubal. Either way, this idea lives in the dreams of fans right now. There's nothing to indicate it could come true, though the next six to eight months could change a lot.
