49ers and Brock Purdy Eye Lucrative Contract Extension
As the curtain falls on the San Francisco 49ers’ season, the team and their promising quarterback, Brock Purdy, find themselves at a pivotal juncture. For the first time in his burgeoning career, Purdy is eligible to negotiate a long-term contract extension, a prospect that has fans and analysts buzzing with anticipation.
While formal discussions have yet to commence, the intentions of the key stakeholders are crystal clear. General Manager John Lynch, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, and Purdy himself have all expressed a strong desire to reach an agreement sooner rather than later.
“I think what we know about Brock is that he’s our guy,” Lynch stated confidently on Wednesday. “We have interest in Brock being around here for a long, long time. He’s done so much for our organization; he’s won big games and had a little tougher task as we all did this year with some of the things that happened throughout the course of the year. We just never could string games where we were all together and through that, he continued to lead, he continued to play at a high level, so we have every interest in him being around.”
Lynch further elaborated, “We’ll have some time here in the coming weeks to sit together and put our whole plan together. That’s obviously a priority, that position, and we’ll give it that attention.”
“I plan on being with Brock here the whole time I’m here. Brock’s been a stud. He’s a guy I’ve got a lot of confidence in just as a human, but it starts with what he’s done on the field these last two and a half years. We’re capable of winning the Super Bowl with him. He just almost did, and I know he’s capable of getting the Niners a Super Bowl in the future.”
Kyle Shanahan, on Brock Purdy
Purdy, who was the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has been playing on one of the most economical contracts in the league. His four-year rookie deal averages an annual value of $934,253, with one year remaining that will count $1.119 million against the cap in 2025. However, that figure is expected to rise significantly as the 49ers prepare to compensate him in line with the league’s top quarterbacks. The Dallas Cowboys‘ Dak Prescott currently holds the title of highest-paid quarterback with an average annual value of $60 million.
When asked about the potential of surpassing that number, Purdy expressed a desire to expedite the process. “More than anything for me, I want to be able to handle business the right way and do it in a respectable manner and get back to my team as fast as I can to get going,” Purdy said. “That’s my mindset, my focus. And obviously I want to help the team across the board with all the other guys who need to get their deals done, but everybody will handle it the right way and how they need to.”
Despite a challenging 2024 season marred by injuries to key players like Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel Sr., Purdy managed to finish seventh in the NFL in QBR (68.0), 10th in passing yards (3,864), and third in yards per attempt (8.5) over 15 games. However, his 1.7 touchdowns to interception ratio, tied for 23rd in the NFL, marked a decline from the 2.8 he posted in 2023.
Shanahan’s faith in Purdy remains unwavering, as he noted, “Brock is the leader of our team. I’ve loved these three years with Brock. I plan on being with Brock here the whole time I’m here. Brock’s been a stud. He’s a guy I’ve got a lot of confidence in just as a human, but it starts with what he’s done on the field these last two and a half years. We’re capable of winning the Super Bowl with him. He just almost did, and I know he’s capable of getting the Niners a Super Bowl in the future.”
As Lynch and Shanahan conduct exit meetings and evaluations, the urgency to finalize Purdy’s extension is palpable. The 49ers have a history of protracted negotiations, as seen with Aiyuk and Williams last offseason, but the quarterback’s contract is a different beast. A swift resolution would not only secure Purdy’s future but also influence the team’s financial flexibility for roster enhancements.
- Purdy’s rookie contract averages $934,253 annually.
- He is set to count $1.119 million against the cap in 2025.
- Dak Prescott is the highest-paid QB at $60 million per season.
Reflecting on past experiences, Shanahan and Lynch are no strangers to high-stakes negotiations. In 2018, they successfully inked a five-year, $137.5 million deal with Jimmy Garoppolo on February 8. While the circumstances differ, the urgency remains the same.
Purdy’s commitment to the 49ers is unwavering. “I want to be in San Francisco and play my football career here,” he affirmed. “I love it here and I want to do whatever it takes to be here … I’m not really sure what it all is going to look like or entail but I know that I’m the guy for this organization and that I can do what it takes to help lead us where we want to go.”
Originally Written by: Nick Wagoner
