The 49ers have a pressing financial matter in the form of wideout Brandon Aiyuk for this offseason. By this point next, year, however, quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for a new deal. The latter will be in line for a substantial raise given the nature of his first two years in the NFL. 
Purdy took over for an injured Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo during the 2022 campaign, and he helped guide the team to the NFC title game. Despite the major elbow injury he suffered in that contest, the former ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ entered the 2023 season as San Francisco’s undisputed starter. His play during much of the year did not do anything to alter that moving forward.
The 24-year-old led the NFL in passer rating (113) as well as other categories in a stellar follow-up to his rookie success. Purdy earned a Pro Bowl nod and finished fourth in MVP voting, confirming his status as a franchise quarterback. The going rate for players who fit that bill has surged in recent years, something 49ers CEO Jed York is acutely aware of.
“When we signed Jimmy several years ago, it was the largest deal in the history of the NFL, for three minutes,” York said, via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “But Jimmy was at [$27.5MM per year]. That’s what the market is and you have to accept the reality of the world. To me, the quarterback is the most important position not just in football, but all of sports, and those guys should be paid a lot of money.”
Four quarterbacks have reached the $50MM mark in terms of annual average value (all ascending passers who agreed to monster extensions last offseason). The likes of Trevor Lawrence and Dak Prescott are among those who could also reach that mark, and deals with either of those would add further to the lucrative environment the QB spot is currently in. Purdy – who has two years remaining on his rookie pact and is due $985K in 2024 – will have considerable bargaining power next offseason if he is able to remain a key figure in San Francisco’s offense.
Each of that unit’s other top contributors (Aiyuk, fellow receiver Deebo Samuel, left tackle Trent Williams, running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle) are already on the books for at least one more season, though. Aiyuk will join the others in being a financial commitment in 2025 if an extension can be worked out. San Francisco’s cap situation will look much different if a Purdy extension is finalized, but well before that can take place York’s comments convey an awareness it will be a very pricey endeavor.
If Purdy was as smart as I believe he truly is, he would tell his agent and the 49ers to find a way to make his deal a cap friendly one.
Whether that is a huge signing bonus and making the deal extremely long similar to Pat Mahomes, or just accepting non top 5 money and making it structured so the 49ers don’t have to gut their roster in order to keep him.
QBs have to know if they win, the money off the field will flow in with endorsement deals. I’m not entirely sure why more QBs don’t take the “Tom Brady” approach.
No chance…
the guy is being paid pennies. He has a chance to set his future and if he has kids their future up.
Lets not act like Tom was a bottom ten paid QB. The time Manning was in the league he only made a little less than him a few times.
Tom was married to one of the richest models too, not everyone has that luxury.
Brock is going to take as much as he can because NFLPA.
He won’t get a Mahomes length deal because he is not Mahomes. Pat had the MVP and SB appearances and was basically known as a sure thing. He has now won b2b with no top wrs. Brock wouldn’t be able to do that.
Because most QBs don’t have a super model wife making 30-40 million dollars a year. Gotta get paid while you can.
I’m not saying Brock Purdy should sign some deal that puts him outside of the top 15 highest paid QBs.
I’m saying instead of worrying and prioritizing being the highest paid or one of the highest paid, he should focus more on the best way to structure his contract, so the 49ers can keep alot of weapons, a good defense, and quality depth around him
Look at how Dak has significantly hampered Dallas’ ability to add quality players to their roster and add depth. In order for them to maintain any level of success they have to nail almost all of their draft picks and get extremely lucky. Also, even with Dak’s lack of playoff success, he’s still getting some big-time endorsement deals.
Now, can you imagine if Dak would have taken a more team friendly deal? They could have easily added more talent around him by adding a better compliment to Pollard, kept some of their key starters/depth pieces, added more talent at the WR position opposite of Lamb, and still added to their defense.
Can you imagine the money Dak would be making off the field and instantly how many more opportunities he would have to make more money if he brought a Super Bowl to Dallas?
It isn’t all about just helping your owner or upper management and making their job easier. It is about temporarily sacrificing to help your teammates, it is about temporarily sacrificing to ultimately help yourself, and it is about being able to see and truly understand the bigger picture. It is about being self-aware and understanding what it takes to truly win in the NFL, understanding what it takes to sustain being able to win in the NFL, and knowing if you’re going to win you need a deep and talented roster to help you get there.
Not to mention, do you realize what kind of message that sends to the rest of the team? As a leader, it is about setting an example and creating and maintaining a winning culture, a sacrificing for the greater good type of mentality, and as a leader of that team literally putting your money where your mouth is. Showing your teammates and brothers that you’re willing to leave some money on the table, so that the rest of them can eat as well.
That type of example can be contagious, and it can help you sustain a winning product. Maybe the next star that is up for a contract extension sees what you’ve done. He also doesn’t force management to make him the top5 highest paid at his position, and instead takes top7-8 money, and structures his deal in a more cap friendly manner.
Then, when you’re a winning team, you have a close brotherhood, and you have a close lockerrom it’s funny how in sports the ball just bounces your way more often than not. Players want to be a part of that lockerroom, veterans take less money to be a part of that lockerrom, and veterans also take less money solely just for a chance to win a ring that’s been eluding them their entire careers.
Obviously, nothing is guaranteed, but you’re setting yourself up for future success in the best way possible. I can easily live with knowing that is the decision I’ve made.
Maybe I am just more optimistic than most people, or maybe I am less short-sighted than most, idk?
The one thing I do know is that I’ve made several short-term personal sacrifices for myself, for my family, and for others throughout the course of my career. Ultimately, though, I made those decisions and took some lf those gambles, because I thought they would better set myself and my family up for future success.
So, yes, it is personally the choice I would make and the bet I would take if I were Brock Purdy. Yes, there is a big difference between tens of thousands of dollars and tens of millions, but I’d still advise myself or my own son to look at the bigger picture, not be greedy, and not be so short-sighted. No matter what situation you find yourself in, personally, I find it hard to believe you can go wrong with that type of mentality.
I have to agree 100 percent but a lot of guys came from nothing so that hampers that decision.
Great comment Richard
I’m amazed at the folks still whining about the money Giselle brought to the Brady table. Tom made plenty in salary and lots more in endorsements. There’s no need for Purdy to focus on immediate salary. Huge signing bonus paid out over years is still money in the bank, along with rich injury guarantees gets the job done.
The endorsement money is where it’s at. If Prescott focused more on playoff wins and less on salary he’d make a lot more money overall with endorsements. Cousins is smart to force the money up front, as he’s not a playoff QB (check out his college bowl performance where the one win was in the fourth overtime as the other team outchoked Michigan State), nor is he charismatic. Cousins has one chance to get paid, and that’s at the payroll counter.
Would you sacrifice millions for your employer? I wouldn’t. It’s not the players responsibility to balance the books, that’s on the GM.
I would if I worked off commission, and it meant that I’d get assured a better product to work with that was easier to sell.
Sacrifice a few millions now to end up with way more later on. Yeah, I’d gladly do that.
Now, obviously the comparison isn’t exactly the same, but I’m just saying I think it would be in my best overall interest to not take top5 QB money if it helps me have a better team around me.
Then, the more I win, the more off the field publicity I receive. As a result of all that, I will get more opportunities to make significantly more money.
Kirk Cousins would disagree. He’s earned more than both P Manning and T Brady during their HoF (NFL checks, not counting endorsements) careers. And he’ll gladly put on custom tailored suits to and slide into a multimillion dollar TV gig upon retiring.
It’s not up to the players to balance the books, that’s on the front office. Call it greed if you like, but I’ve never seen a HC or GM take ‘home town’ discount, have you? Both the GM & HC of the Lions took new contracts this offseason as proof of my statement.
Earlier in the year, I used to think of Purdy as a Top 5-10 type of QB but having seen him play out the year, I’m not sure I see him ever above a 12-18. Now you can win with that, but I don’t see him as being the main driving force on any aspiring championship team. Ultimately, I think we need to see how he does under a team that isn’t so stocked with talent because of Purdy’s rookie deal.
It’s not if Purdy is a top QB or not, it is are they willing to gamble until they find someone as good or better? I watch a lot of 49ers football, and Purdy is a huge step up from any QB play of the Shanahan era. They don’t need a Mahomes savior type to win games, they need someone who reads the field and doesn’t blow it. I doubt Purdy gets $50m a year in his first deal, and I also doubt he wants to play for anyone else, he knows how good he’s got it.
I watch a fair amount of 49ers games also (been an anti-fan since childhood). I think Jimmy G, if he could stay healthy might have given Purdy a run for his money. I don’t recall the full roster but his offensive weapons did not rise to the level of what Purdy is working with, probably not even that close. And a big part of that was because Jimmy had the largest QB contract when he signed limited other players the 9ers could sign. Hence, I’m not remotely convinced that Purdy isn’t going to regress materially if you take $45-50 million of payroll away from non-QB positions.
Jimmy had a really bad habit of throwing an interception at the worst possible time. He also overthrew the deep ball, a lot.
I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying, I also think it would be a hit to the team to pay him $40m.
I just don’t think they need him to be a top QB, and it would be (cap) beneficial if he isn’t considered a top QB.
He was in the MVP running. If he is in the running again he will get the $50ish million, Cousins hasn’t won many playoff game and gets that. Dak gets that and hasn’t won a thing.
You can think he is this nice humble guy which he very well maybe, but it is a business! He will be paid or someone else will pay him because it weakens the Niners. They really don’t have a choice, because Purdy would be an imbecile to play on the contract year before an extension.
San Francisco can win with pretty much anyone at quarterback. Thus paying Purdy like he is one of the 10 best in the league would be a mistake.
But they haven’t
There is no middle ground on Purdy opinions it seems. You either have him as a top QB or you believe he is performing above his true means of production.
Both sides are pretty loud about it too.