49ers QB Notes: Purdy, Jones, Rourke
The 49ers have made Brock Purdy‘s extension official, as the team announced the new five-year deal earlier this evening.
“Brock is a tremendous leader and a fantastic representative for the 49ers organization, and we are ecstatic to get this deal done,” said GM John Lynch. “When we took him with the last pick in the Draft, we knew he had potential to succeed in this league, but we had no idea how special of a player he would become. He has played at an exceptionally high level since taking over the starting job, and we look forward to seeing him continue to lead this team for years to come.”
Purdy’s five-year, $265MM deal includes $181MM in guaranteed money, including $100MM locked in up front. With the deal settling in at a $53MM average annual value, Purdy wasn’t able to crack the top five AAVs at his position. Still, the contract includes a favorable short-term cash structure and a no-trade clause, reinforcing the franchise’s belief in the former Mr. Irrelevant.
Elsewhere on the depth chart, Mac Jones was added this offseason to serve as Purdy’s primary backup. The 2021 first-round pick has struggled to live up to a promising rookie campaign. He was ditched by the Patriots after only three seasons, and he had to settle for a backup gig in Jacksonville for the 2024 campaign. He ended up getting seven starts while filling in for Trevor Lawrence, and that performance earned him another chance as a QB2 in San Francisco.
While the 49ers obviously don’t have much of a long-term opening for Jones, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak still believes his quarterback has enough to be a starter again in the NFL.
“Going back to college, we obviously studied Mac coming out, and we thought very highly of him and his skillset as a thrower and the things he did in college,” Kubiak said last week (via Joel Soria of NBC Sports Bay Area). “… And then, obviously, as a rookie, what he did in the NFL was very impressive. Mac’s a really good thrower. He stands in the pocket, he’s a strong guy and he’s really smart. And so he’s got a lot of traits that we like for a starting quarterback.”
On the bottom of the depth chart, the 49ers are considering a pair of inexperienced players. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle expects rookie seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke to have a redshirt rookie season. The QB could be stashed on IR as he continues to recover from offseason surgery on a partially torn ACL. In that scenario, former UDFA Tanner Mordecai would likely make the roster as the third quarterback.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/25
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: WR Hal Presley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR T.J. Luther
- Waived/injured: WR Moose Muhammad III
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Keydrain Calligan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: G Lecitus Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Nate McCollum
- Waived: G Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu
Moose Muhammad III was a notable UDFA signing by the Panthers considering his connection to the organization. The wide receiver’s father is Muhsin Muhammad, who is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the younger Muhammad suffered an undisclosed injury that cost him his roster spot, although he’ll likely pass through waivers and land on the team’s IR.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/20/25
Today’s draft pick signings:
Detroit Lions
- WR Isaac TeSlaa (third round, Arkansas)
Kansas City Chiefs
- CB Nohl Williams (third round, California)
The Lions continue to chip away at their draft class, with only their first-round pick (DT Tyleik Williams) and second-round pick (G Tate Ratledge) remaining unsigned. The Lions clearly have high hopes for the latest signing, as the team used the 70th-overall pick on Isaac TeSlaa. The wideout had his most productive collegiate season in 2024, finishing with 545 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The rookie may have a tough time carving out a role on a deep depth chart in 2025, but he could eventually work his way into the starting lineup next to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Nohl Williams led all of college football with seven interceptions last season, and the Chiefs were quick to scoop him up with the 85th pick in this year’s draft. The Chiefs added Kristian Fulton in free agency this year, so the rookie will likely be eyeing a backup role to begin the 2025 campaign. With the signing, the Chiefs’ only remaining unsigned draft pick is second-round DT Omarr Norman-Lott.
Cam Ward, Will Levis Splitting Reps At Titans Practices
The Titans are clearly committed to Cam Ward as their long-term quarterback, but head coach Brian Callahan isn’t rushing into naming his Week 1 starter. As ESPN’s Turron Davenport writes, Ward evenly split reps with Will Levis as the Titans opened Phase 2 of their offseason activities.
Callahan acknowledged that we’ll likely see a change in the snap distribution when the offense begins participating in seven-on-seven drills. At that time, the number-one overall pick will presumably find himself atop the depth chart, but even that major indication may not be enough for Callahan to name a definitive starter.
The coach told reporters that it’s premature to name a Week 1 starter considering all the progress that needs to be made over the next three months. Instead, Callahan made it clear that he wants his quarterbacks to simply focus on what’s ahead of them at practices vs. focusing on the season opener.
As Davenport notes, Callahan may be a bit gun-shy from last year, when the first-year head coach quickly named Levis as his starter. A midseason injury helped the Titans temporarily pivot to Mason Rudolph, but the coach understood he didn’t do anyone any favors by proclaiming Levis his QB1 before practices even started.
So, while Ward is all but guaranteed to be the starter for the 2025 campaign, Callahan won’t make any declarations before he has a full understanding of his depth. While Davenport notes that a QB competition between the number-one pick and the incumbent starter could lead to a “contentious situation,” Callahan praised both of his signal callers for their approach to early practices.
“They’ve both handled it really well,” Callahan said. “I’ve been pleased with their demeanor and approach. Will has done a really nice job getting better at the things he needs to get better at. Cam has done a really nice job of integrating himself. … They’ve both done a really nice job getting up to speed where they needed to.”
Caleb Williams’ Camp Tried To Avoid Bears In 2024 Draft
With Caleb Williams slated to go first-overall to the Bears in the 2024 draft, the quarterback’s camp considered some unconventional options in an attempt to avoid Chicago. In Seth Wickersham’s upcoming book, “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,” there are some notable anecdotes (via ESPN.com) surrounding Williams’ wariness of going to the Bears.
The player’s father, Carl Williams, described Chicago as “the place quarterbacks go to die,” with the QB himself questioning his ability to succeed in then-offensive coordinator Shane Waldron‘s system. Williams’ camp went as far as considering circumventing the draft altogether, consulting with lawyers about ways they could get “around the league’s collective bargaining agreement.” One of the considered options would have seen Williams signing with the United Football League.
Carl Williams plainly stated to agents that he didn’t want his son playing for the Bears. Specifically, the quarterback’s camp cited the franchise’s lack of recent success at the position, as well as the Bears’ stadium uncertainty and tepid performance under then-head coach Matt Eberflus.
As Williams’ camp looked for ways for the prospect to choose his own landing spot, Carl Williams consulted with Archie Manning, who helped Eli Manning avoid the Chargers in favor of the Giants in 2004. In addition to his overall concern about Chicago, Carl Williams also had issues with the league’s rookie-wage scale and the fact that any franchise could effectively prevent first-round picks from hitting free agency for eight years.
A conversation with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell had the quarterback clamoring for a way to play in Minnesota. After Bears GM Ryan Poles “stood firm” and refused to trade the first-overall pick, the player’s camp considered making the situation untenable by attacking both the organization and the city of Chicago. Ultimately, a pre-draft visit to the Bears facilities stopped Williams and his family from making any public protests, and he ended up landing in Chicago with the first-overall pick.
Of course, since Williams was drafted, the Bears have already seen some significant changes to leadership. Waldron was the first casualty from the Bears’ underwhelming start to the season, and Eberflus also didn’t make it through the entirety of the QB’s first NFL campaign (before that happened, Wickersham passes along a story where Williams studied film alone, without instruction from coaches). The team has since hired former Lions OC Ben Johnson to guide the squad, and the new head coach said he doesn’t have any concerns about today’s report.
“I see a chance for greatness here for him,” Johnson said during an appearance today on The Herd. “He’s been communicated that way and he feels the same way. I don’t know what’s gone on prior to him joining the organization, but he is very proud to be a Chicago Bear. That’s what our conversations have included. He’s really excited to get to work right now and be the best version of himself for 2025.”
49ers, Chargers Requesting Approval On Sales Of Minority Stakes
Yet two more NFL teams are on the brink of selling a minority ownership stake to a private equity firm. According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, the Chargers have requested approval to sell an eight-percent stake in their franchise to private investment firm Arctos. Meanwhile, the 49ers are making three deals with Bay Area families worth a total of six percent of the franchise (per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner).
Both sales are pending approval during this month’s league meetings. According to Popper, the deal would still leave Dean Spanos and his family with club control and an approximately 61-percent stake in the Chargers. 49ers owner Jed York will be left with 91-percent ownership, according to Wagoner.
After the NFL started allowing private equity firms to purchase limited shares of franchises, we’ve seen a number of organizations looking to deal. The Eagles, Dolphins and Bills all worked out agreements to divest to new owners, while the Giants were recently exploring the idea of a partial sale.
While private equity firms are allowed to purchase shares of NFL franchises, they are not permitted to take on a controlling stake. This explains the generally sub-10-perecent stakes, and with the Chargers and 49ers now joining the fray, we’ll surely see even more teams consider or consummate deals in the coming months.
The most notable part of these sales will be the valuation. Notably, this impending 49ers sale will lead to a record $8.5 billion valuation, according to Wagoner. The Eagles recently made a pair of deals that valued the franchise around $8.2 billion, and the Chargers will surely come in close to this mark. The last majority sale of a franchise came in 2023, when the Josh Harris-led group bought the Commanders for $6.05 billion.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/25
Today’s minor transactions:
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): DT Eric Johnson II
- Waived: S Marcel Dabo
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: TE Patrick Murtagh
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived/injured: RB Keaontay Ingram
- Released from IR: WR Justin Lockhart
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
Today’s move by the Colts is a bit of a reunion, as Eric Johnson II was a fifth-round pick by the Colts in 2022. He spent his first two seasons in Indy, appearing in 28 games while compiling 18 tackles and one sack. He was waived at the end of the 2024 preseason and landed in New England, where he proceeded to get into 11 games for his new squad.
While Johnson has been buried on the depth chart and occasionally stuck on special teams throughout his career, he has gotten some run on defense. He got into a career-high 265 defensive snaps in 2023, although that dropped to 178 defensive snaps during his time with the Patriots.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/15/25
Just one draft pick signing to pass along:
Philadelphia Eagles
- DT Ty Robinson (fourth round, Nebraska)
Robinson got into 47 games across his first five seasons at Nebraska, collecting five total sacks over that span. He put himself firmly on the NFL map with a breakout 2024 campaign, as the defensive lineman compiled 37 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. This performance ultimately led to him being selected by the Eagles in the fourth round of the draft.
In Philly, he’ll be joining a relatively deep defensive lineman grouping, although he could carve out some playing time as a traditional defensive end. At the moment, his only competition at the position is former seventh-round pick Moro Ojomo, although the team could always get creative with former first-round picks Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
With the signing, the Eagles have now signed seven of their 10 draft picks. Among the unsigned rookies include first-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell and second-round safety Andrew Mukuba.
Patriots’ Christian Barmore Cleared For Football Activities
After missing most of last season with recurring symptoms from blood clots, Christian Barmore continues to hit some major milestones in his rehab. The Patriots defensive lineman revealed today that he’s been fully cleared for football activity.
Barmore was a limited participant during the team’s first iteration of offseason workouts last month, and the defensive tackle told reporters that he’ll be a full participant when voluntary organized team activities begin next week. These are all major steps in Barmore’s goal of playing in Week 1, and the lineman still believes he’s on track to play in the season opener.
“Yeah. That’s the goal,” Barmore said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “I just have to keep following the medical team, but everything is looking really well.”
A former second-round pick, Barmore’s last full season saw him compile 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 16 QB hits. That performance earned him a four-year, $92MM extension ($41.8MM guaranteed) last offseason, but he proceeded to miss the first 10 games of 2024 campaign after being diagnosed with blood clots.
Barmore managed to return to the field for a handful of games, but he was eventually shut down after experiencing recurring blood clot symptoms. Fortunately, all offseason reports out of New England have been positive, and it sounds like the 25-year-old should be ready to go by the time the regular season comes around.
The Patriots are hoping Barmore can form a fearsome interior DL tandem with Milton Williams, who inked a four-year, $104MM deal with New England this offseason. Williams is just one of the several additions to Mike Vrabel‘s new-look defense, and Barmore will represent one of the only holdovers from the previous regime(s).
Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington Suffers Torn Achilles, Likely Out For 2025
The Ravens will likely be without a key defender for much of the 2025 campaign. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, safety Ar’Darius Washington recently tore his Achilles during conditioning. The injury will cause him to “miss most or all” of the upcoming season.
A former UDFA, Washington appeared in a combined eight games through his first three seasons in the NFL. The 2024 campaign represented a breakout year for the TCU product. The 25-year-old saw backup reps to begin the season, but he eventually replaced Marcus Williams as a starter opposite Kyle Hamilton. Washington finished the year with 64 tackles and a pair of interceptions, with Pro Football Focus ranking him eighth among 98 qualifying safeties.
Washington signed his restricted free agent tender back in April, locking him in for the upcoming season. He would have finally hit unrestricted free agency after the 2025 campaign, so the injury comes at a particularly unfortunate time for the safety.
Even with added depth, the Ravens would have continued leaning on Washington this upcoming season, with The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec pointing out the player’s ability to play both safety and nickelback. The team did add Malaki Starks in the first round of the draft, and the rookie will now likely see the bulk of the snaps next to Hamilton. The team’s other options at the position include second-year players Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade.
Considering the suddenly depleted depth, Zrebic wonders if the team could make a move for a veteran safety. Current free agent options include Julian Blackmon, Justin Simmons, Chuck Clark, and Quandre Diggs, but the Ravens may just end up keeping their eye open for options as team’s trim down their rosters in August.