49ers, Brock Purdy Agree To Extension
MAY 18: Purdy’s extension with the 49ers also includes a full no-trade clause for the duration of the contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. That has become standard practice for major quarterback extensions, though it remains unclear if Purdy received a clause preventing San Francisco from applying the franchise tag on him at the end of the deal.
MAY 17: While a rolling guarantee structure will help protect Purdy down the line, he still is believed to have received a nine-figure guarantee at signing. The 49ers are giving their franchise QB $100MM locked in up front, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reports. Purdy becomes the 12th active QB to secure a $100MM full guarantee.
Passers earning less per year (from Deshaun Watson to Lamar Jackson to Justin Herbert to Kyler Murray) secured more at signing, though it will be interesting to learn how the 49ers have structured Purdy’s rolling guarantees. The seventh-round success story, who secured all of $77K when he signed his rookie deal, should see more guarantees vest a year out moving forward.
MAY 16: Brock Purdy will not need to wait until training camp to ink his extension. The 49ers’ starting quarterback agreed to a deal Friday, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. 
This will be a five-year, $265MM pact, Purdy’s agent informed the NFLN trio. The league’s latest monster QB deal includes $181MM in total guarantees; that figure consists of $165.05MM covering the next three seasons. Purdy is now on the books through 2030. The $181MM amount represents the injury guarantee, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes it contains a rolling structure.
San Francisco has long known a mega-pact was coming in this case. Whereas many of the team’s big-ticket extensions have dragged into the summer during recent years, that will not be the case with respect to Purdy. The former ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ has handled starting duties since midway through his rookie campaign, and that will remain the case – as the team hoped – for many years to come.
Purdy was due to collect a base salary of $5.35MM in 2025, the final year of his rookie pact. A massive raise was known to be in store, and negotiations began not long after the end of the season. Progress was made in relatively short order, and general manager John Lynch targeted voluntary offseason workouts as a timeline for an agreement to be in place. Indeed, prior to the start of San Francisco’s OTAs, the team’s most impactful piece of business has been taken care of. The fact Purdy was present for the beginning of voluntary work last month represented a clear sign this agreement was close.
This deal’s AAV of $53MM moves Purdy into a tie for seventh amongst quarterbacks in terms of annual earnings. The 25-year-old is on level terms with Jared Goff and narrowly behind Tua Tagovailoa in that respect; both of their deals were signed last offseason. In all, 11 signal-callers are now attached to a pact averaging at least $51MM per year.
Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo going down with season-ending injuries in 2022 opened the door for Purdy to take over as the team’s starter. The Iowa State product helped lead San Francisco to the NFC title game that year and to the Super Bowl during the following campaign. Despite making a clear error by trading up to the No. 3 slot in 2021 to draft Lance, the 49ers have thus received stable QB play (and at a fraction of the cost of veteran passers, of course). That will no longer be the case moving forward, but expectations will remain high for the team’s offense.
Throughout his tenure in the Bay Area, Purdy has enjoyed the benefits of San Francisco’s left tackle and skill-position investments. Wideout Deebo Samuel was traded earlier this offseason, but Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle – himself the recipient of a recent extension – remain in the fold. Purdy saw his league-leading yards per attempt average (9.6) drop to 8.5 from 2023 to ’24, but a rebound could be in store provided the team can avoid the injury issues of last year.
While much of San Francisco’s offensive core has remained intact this spring, the team’s defense has undergone a number of changes. The need to budget for this Purdy extension represented a key reason for that, but in general a number of new faces will be counted on to contribute right away at important positions. The 49ers made 11 selections during last year’s draft and in doing so added necessary cost-effective options to compensate for the surge in operating cost under center.
Questions linger about how much longer the 49ers’ current core (which still includes All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, likely the team’s next extension priority) will remain intact and thus whether or not San Francisco’s Super Bowl window is closing. The extent to which a return to contention will take place in 2025 but also well beyond that point will be driven in large part by Purdy’s ability to deliver on expectations while playing out this deal.
DB Notes: 49ers, Gordon, Lions, Colts, Titans
The 49ers‘ decision to let Charvarius Ward walk in free agency points to Renardo Green receiving an extended opportunity to become a full-time starter opposite Deommodore Lenoir. Extended months before Ward’s departure, Lenoir has worked as both a boundary and slot corner. His $17.96MM-per-year contract, which checks in far north of the slot-only market, reflects this versatility. But the 49ers have been unable to find a pure slot option since K’Waun Williams departed in 2022. The team will give third-round pick Upton Stout a shot to buck that trend, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.
Standing 5-foot-8, Stout profiles as a slot performer. He excelled in the role in a college career spent at North Texas and Western Kentucky. Stout also led all DBs in the gauntlet drill and bench press (21 reps) at the Combine, creating an interesting profile. The 49ers’ issues in the slot have prompted them to use Day 2 picks on two corners (Green, Stout) since 2024; Stout proving up to the task would stand to limit Lenoir’s inside work. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers will keep their top cover man on the perimeter.
Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:
- Kyler Gordon‘s $13.3MM-per-year deal set the market for slot patrolmen recently. That deal checks in more than $11MM south of Jaycee Horn‘s extension and a whopping $16MM-plus lower than where Derek Stingley Jr. has taken the boundary CB market. While a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post highlighted the value teams receive when they identify a quality slot defender, the Bears are not committed to keeping Gordon inside. New Bears DC Dennis Allen said (via ChicagoBears.com’s Larry Mayer) Gordon will train at safety and at outside corner in his scheme, as the team looks to increase its recently extended defender’s usage rate. Gordon played 97% of Chicago’s defensive snaps as a rookie, but upon shifting to more of a slot role in 2023, the former second-round pick has not cleared 80% in a season since.
- The Lions will have 2024 second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw train on the outside in Kelvin Sheppard‘s first DC offseason, per Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers. Playing only 46 defensive snaps as a rookie, the 5-11 CB received what amounted to a redshirt year. The Lions used a premium pick on Rakestraw, though he does not look to have a path to a starting job in a secondary that will feature Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed and Amik Robertson as regulars.
- Detroit also added some depth in Avonte Maddox, a longtime Eagles slot corner who drifted to a backup role after a slew of injuries. Maddox will be expected to serve as a backup in the slot and at safety, according to Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil (via Rogers). Maddox, who did make a pivotal pass breakup in Super Bowl LIX, saw his snap share drop to 33% last season — after he missed most of 2023. The eighth-year veteran is on a one-year, $1.42MM deal ($1.2MM guaranteed).
- Titans third-round pick Kevin Winston, per HC Brian Callahan, is expected to be cleared for training camp after sustaining a partial ACL tear last year. Winston, who suffered the injury in early September, underwent knee surgery but had recovered in time to run at the Penn State pro day. The Titans chose Winston with the No. 82 overall pick.
- The Colts roster one of the NFL’s best slot corners, and Kenny Moore is going into his ninth season with the team. Indianapolis, however, may be grooming an heir apparent. They team is likely to have third-round pick Justin Walley begin his offseason in the slot, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Moore’s three-year, $30MM contract features a fully guaranteed 2025 salary but no guarantees beyond this year. The Pro Bowl defender, who has protected the Colts at one CB spot while they have dealt with enduring issues on the perimeter, is going into his age-30 season.
49ers Add K Greg Joseph
The 49ers grabbed quite a few headlines when they used a third-round pick on Michigan kicker Jake Moody two years ago. Through two seasons, Moody has not exactly inspired confidence in his long-term prospects at the position. According to NFL agent Brett Tessler, San Francisco has signed his client, Greg Joseph, as some offseason competition for Moody on a one-year deal. 
Joseph has been in the NFL since 2018, playing for six teams in that time, including three in just the last year. Counting teams he rostered with but failed to play for, the 49ers will be his 12th team overall and his sixth since August 2024. His longest stay in one place came during a three-year stretch with the Vikings. from 2021-23.
Perhaps the reason why he’s struggled to stick anywhere, Joseph has often struggle with accuracy and consistency. While he made all 11 of his extra point attempts last season, he’s missed 16 in his career. He’s also only missed one field goal attempt inside of 40 yards, but outside of that, Joseph is a disappointing 44 of 68 (64.7%) — 27 of 38 (71.1%) from 40-49 yards and 17 of 30 (56.7%) from 50+.
The thing is, Moody hasn’t been too much better. The third-year kicker is much more reliable on extra points (90 of 92 in his career), but the 2024 season saw him struggle mightily from distance. Like Joseph, Moody only has one miss (out of 30 attempts) from inside the 30-yard line. As a rookie, Moody only had three misses from longer than that — two from 40-49 and one from 50+. In his sophomore campaign, though, Moody missed half of his 20 attempts from 40 yards or over — five from 40-49 and five from 50+. A high ankle sprain suffered in Week 5 of the season is thought to have made an impact on his sophomore slump.
Regardless, 49ers new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer has been encouraged by his small bit of offseason time spent with Moody. Per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, Boyer validated that he, too, had Moody as the No. 1 kicker in the 2023 draft class, saying, “He’s as talented of a kid as it gets.” He also feels the addition of long snapper Jon Weeks, who is set to replace Taybor Pepper at the position, will potentially help Moody, as well.
Moody was the highest kicker drafted since Roberto Aguayo went in the second round in 2016 and was only the fifth kicker since 2000 to be drafted in the third round or sooner. Investing that kind of draft capital in a specialist comes with an expectation of elite play, and Moody has failed to deliver on those expectations so far. San Francisco hasn’t given up on him yet, but it appears they’ll bring in some competition, at the very least, to motivate their struggling 25-year-old.
They already brought in undrafted kicker Kenneth Almendares, who capped off a seven-year collegiate career at Louisiana by winning the 2024 Lou Groza Award, given to the best kicker in the NCAA, for a rookie minicamp tryout, but apparently, no deal was reached. Now Joseph will have his turn to push Moody to retain his job.
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.
No Deal In Place Between 49ers, LT D.J. Humphries
Shortly after the draft, it appeared as though D.J. Humphries was signing with the 49ers. No agreement is formally in place between team and player, however. 
An announcement from Humphries’ agency was made on April 29 stating a contract was in place. The 49ers themselves have not yet confirmed that news, and that does not seem likely to change any time soon. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports no deal has been agreed to, adding nothing is imminent with respect to an agreement coming to bear.
San Francisco made 11 selections during the draft, tied for the most in this year’s event. Many expected an offensive tackle to be targeted early, but the only addition of any kind made up front was guard Connor Colby in the seventh round. As general manager John Lynch noted after the draft, the board never fell in a way where the 49ers were in position to select a tackle prospect rated in that range.
“There were a number of times that we were interested in adding, and it just didn’t come our way,” Lynch said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “And you’ve got to stay true to where you have guys graded, not take guys just to take them, but to take guys that you’re interested in at that point. And it just never really aligned.”
The 49ers lost swing tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency this spring, while right tackle starter Colton McKivitz has one year remaining on his pact. Left tackle stalwart Trent Williams remains in place, but he is entering his age-37 season. A long-term investment at the position thus would have come as no surprise, but instead San Francisco has elected to take the veteran route.
Andre Dillard and Nicholas Petit-Frere were jointly signed last week, giving the former Titans starters an opportunity to play together once more while competing for a roster spot. That move came in the wake of Humphries’ presumed addition, but the fact the latter has not actually been signed adds context to the arrival of the other two. With no deal on the horizon, Humphries will once again turn his attention to free agency.
The 31-year-old made two two starts before being replaced last season by the Chiefs in 2024, his first year after his release ended an eight-year run with the Cardinals. Humphries could provide an interested team with experienced depth at the tackle spot, but barring an unforeseen development that suitor will not be the 49ers after all.
49ers Sign First-Round DE Mykel Williams
The 49ers were one of five teams in the 2025 NFL Draft who had the highest number of drafted rookies (11). According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, San Francisco pushed its ninth rookie contract across the finish line tonight, inking first-round defensive end Mykel Williams. Per Wilson, Williams’ four-year rookie deal (with a fifth-year option) is worth $29.94MM fully guaranteed, including a $14.78MM signing bonus. 
Williams spent three years at Georgia, earning second-team All-SEC honors in each of his final two seasons. A former five-star recruit, Williams didn’t quite live up to expectations in Athens. He failed to eclipse five sacks or nine tackles for loss in any season with the Bulldogs. He only started 17 of 40 games, though he was still a regular on three Georgia defenses — including a national championship-winning 2022 group.
An ankle injury hindered Williams’ play in 2024, as well. Still, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher’s size and athleticism had him squarely on the first-round radar. He’s a common type of prospect that we see with more tools and potential than production in college.
The 49ers are hoping that WIlliams will be able to fill in the spot vacated by another former Bulldog, Leonard Floyd, who spent the most time across from Nick Bosa on the defensive line last year. The team also sees Sam Okuayinonu, Yetur Gross-Matos, and yet another former Georgia player, Robert Beal Jr., returning from last season. The three players combined for only seven sacks in 2024.
Unless Okuayinonu, Gross-Matos, or Beal are ready to take the next steps in their careers, Williams may be expected to step into a starting role early. San Francisco will need to tap into that athleticism and potential and hope that Williams can produce more against NFL competition.
Here’s a look at the 49ers’ draft class including the final two players that need to sign their rookie deals:
- Round 1, No. 11: Mykel Williams (DE, Georgia) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 43: Alfred Collins (DT, Texas)
- Round 3, No. 75: Nick Martin (LB, Oklahoma State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 100*: Upton Stout (CB, Western Kentucky) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 113: CJ West (DT, Indiana)
- Round 4, No. 138*: Jordan Watkins (WR, Ole Miss) (signed)
- Round 5: No. 147 (from Saints through Commanders): Jordan James (RB, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 160 (from Vikings): Marques Sigle (S, Kansas State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 227: Kurtis Rourke (QB, Indiana) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 249*: Connor Colby (G, Iowa) (signed)
- Round 7, 252*: Junior Bergen (WR, Montana) (signed)
NFC West Notes: Rams, Kittle, Hawks, Cards
Tyler Higbee has been the Rams‘ top tight end for many years, dating back to the team’s separation from Gerald Everett in 2021. Higbee, however, is now in Year 10 and coming off a three-game season. The Rams have attempted to install an heir apparent on multiple occasions, most notably failing in an attempt to trade up for Brock Bowers last year. Los Angeles then was tied to an effort to move up for Colston Loveland last month, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the team did discuss trades with teams holding top-10 picks.
Once Loveland went to the Bears at 10, the Rams regrouped and traded down, picking up a 2026 first-rounder (from the Falcons) to do so. Upon leaving Round 1, however, the Rams eyed the next wave of tight ends in this draft. Both Mason Taylor (LSU) and Terrance Ferguson (Oregon) were on the team’s radar, per Fowler, who notes Ferguson was rated higher despite Taylor going to the Jets four spots earlier. The Rams have Ferguson (591 receiving yards in 2024) readying to become the Higbee heir apparent.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- Ferguson is unlikely to unseat George Kittle as the NFC West’s top tight end anytime soon, as the 49ers extended their All-Pro dynamo recently. San Francisco’s four-year, $76.4MM deal includes $35MM guaranteed at signing. Beyond fully guaranteed money in 2025 and ’26, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes $2MM of Kittle’s 2027 pay ($17.15MM) is locked in at signing. The 49ers have also dived into the option bonus game, which will help keep Kittle’s cap hits under $19MM until 2029. Kittle can unlock $5MM more in 2027 guarantees by being a 2026 Pro Bowler or landing on the All-Pro first or second team that year; reaching a number of statistical benchmarks that year also could allow Kittle to cash in on that $5MM 2027 bump, Florio adds.
- Sam Darnold‘s three-year, $100.5MM Seahawks contract became classified as a pay-as-you-go pact, and ESPN’s Brady Henderson provided an important detail here. Seattle gave Darnold a $15MM roster bonus, but it is not due until February 13 — five days after Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks can cut bait during that window, reminding of the Raiders’ 2023 Derek Carr divorce, if the Darnold partnership does not pan out. Seattle would still pick up a $25.6MM dead money hit (due to signing bonus proration) by cutting Darnold after one season.
- DC Aden Durde pushed for Rylie Mills in Round 5 (via the pick obtained in the Sam Howell trade), but the Seahawks will wait a bit to see the Day 3 D-lineman in action. A torn ACL sustained in December is expected to keep the Notre Dame product out until at least midseason, John Schneider said (via Henderson). A late-season return is also in play for a player who will be more of a long-term option in Seattle.
- Not rostering a fullback in many years, the Seahawks had planned to add one to work in Klint Kubiak‘s offense. They did so in the draft, as Schneider confirmed (via Henderson) Alabama tight end Robbie Ouzts — a fifth-round pick — will begin his career at fullback. The 274-pound SEC product will compete with Brady Russell, who has played 26 Seahawks games (zero starts) since arriving in September 2023.
- A former South Carolina defensive back, Landon Grier made an early foray into the NFL scouting ranks. The Cardinals hired him straight out of college to be a scouting assistant. The son of Dolphins GM Chris Grier, Landon is not expected back with the Cards in 2025, with InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton noting the younger Grier is on track to return to the college ranks for a personnel role.
- The 49ers are also parting ways with a scouting staffer, with Stratton adding Michael Zyskowski is moving on after three years with the franchise. Late spring regularly serves as a point teams reshuffle scouting staffs, as contracts usually run through the draft in an effort to ensure continuity ahead of the event.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/25
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Kaimon Rucker
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DL Keith Cooper
- Waived: OL Leif Fautanu
Houston Texans
- Waived: CB Gregory Junior
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Kana’i Mauga
- Waived: LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Da’Jon Terry
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from Raiders): DT Matthew Butler
- Waived: DT Tre’vonn Rybka
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: LB Anfernee Orji
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Derrick Canteen
- Waived: S Quindell Johnson
Robert Saleh Addresses Decision To Return To 49ers
While his first head coaching gig ended midway through the 2024 season, Robert Saleh was a busy candidate during the interview cycle this winter. After received a look from the Cowboys, Raiders and Jaguars for another HC opportunity, he returned to San Francisco to reprise his role as the team’s defensive coordinator. 
Saleh had a second interview lined up with Jacksonville, and he may well have been the team’s top choice after Liam Coen. The latter briefly appeared to be out of the running for the Jaguars, but he wound up agreeing to take charge of the team. That left Saleh to head back to the Bay Area where he spent the four years preceding his Jets tenure as the 49ers’ D-coordinator. When reflecting on his decision, the 46-year-old said he was not interested in a DC gig with any other team.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for this organization,” Saleh said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “They gave me so much and during the first two years, if you think about those first two years as the coordinator in ’17 and ’18, it wasn’t easy and it could have been very easy for them to move on for me… They stuck with me and we made it happen. We did what we needed to do and the rest is history and I’m excited about the opportunity to get a chance to do it again with them.”
San Francisco ranked 25th and 28th in scoring defense during Saleh’s first two years as DC. His unit took a notable step forward after that, though, and the 49ers posted a top-five finish in yards allowed during each of the following two campaigns. That level of success made Saleh a head coaching candidate, although his stock took a hit over the course of his stint in New York. The Jets went 20-36 under Saleh, struggling during that time to produce on offense (while, on the other hand, ranking in the top four in total defense over each of the past three years).
In 2024 – Nick Sorensen‘s first and only season as defensive coordinator – the 49ers finished eighth in the NFL in points allowed but 29th in scoring defense. Improvement in the latter category will be critical to the team’s efforts at returning to the postseason. If Saleh can duplicate the success from his first stint in San Francisco, that could take place while also helping to rebuild his coaching stock for the future.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/25
The following 2025 draft picks signed their rookie contracts today:
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Cody Simon (fourth round, Ohio State)
Dallas Cowboys
- RB Jaydon Blue (fifth round, Texas)
New Orleans Saints
- S Jonas Sanker (third round, Virginia)
New York Jets
- WR Arian Smith (fourth round, Georgia)
Philadelphia Eagles
- OL Drew Kendall (fifth round, Boston College)
San Francisco 49ers
- QB Kurtis Rourke (seventh round, Indiana)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Gunnar Helm (fourth round, Texas)