A massive payday is on the horizon for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy following a stellar performance in his first full season as San Francisco's starter.
The number attached to the price tag, however, is up for discussion as Purdy can begin negotiating his next contract in 2025. With other elite quarterbacks around the league securing lucrative deals in recent years, former NFL general manager-turned-ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum explained why that might not be the case for Purdy and the 49ers -- and why it could actually benefit the organization in the future.
"Well, he'll have basically one year left after this year, and then, of course, they could franchise him," Tannenbaum said last week on "NFL Live" (h/t 49ers Webzone). "So I don't expect him to be at the very top of the market, the 52, 53, 54 million dollar range. Maybe somewhere in the mid-40s, and say to Brock Purdy, 'We could give you a massive guarantee, a really good average per year, maybe make you top eight or nine, but we're not completely at the top of the market because, again, we could at least wait two more years.'
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"So I would think they'll find some middle ground. ... If you could keep Brandon Aiyuk as a number one, that'd be great. And that's one of the things I would be talking to Brock Purdy about, that, 'Look, [Bills QB] Josh Allen, he did his extension. All those defensive players graduated (left to other teams). If we could keep you a little bit lower than that, hopefully, we could keep as much of this core together as possible.' "
After locking in George Kittle, Fred Warner, Deebo Samuel and then Nick Bosa to big extensions, Aiyuk likely is up next as he and the 49ers continue negotiations.
Trade rumors swirled around last month's 2024 NFL Draft involving both Aiyuk and Samuel, but 49ers general manager John Lynch said he's doing everything in his power to keep both players and the core intact for the 2024 season and beyond.
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But there's no denying that Purdy is the priority, and any and every decision the 49ers make until the quarterback signs an extension will surround the 24-year-old.
“You see the market has changed,” 49ers owner Jed York said in March at the NFL Annual Meeting. “Whether I like it or not, 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 in all of sports, and those guys should be paid a lot.”
During the 2023 season, Purdy threw for a 49ers' single-season franchise record 4,280 yards and completed 69.4 percent of his passes, finishing his sophomore campaign with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also led the league in touchdown percentage (7.0 percent), yards gained per passing attempt (9.6), passer rating (113.0) and QB rating (72.8).
The Iowa State product led San Francisco to consecutive NFC Championships and a trip to the Super Bowl, falling just short to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
When the time comes for Purdy, the numbers will work themselves out. For now, he's just focused on improving to the best of his ability to help his team continue to win games.
"I'm trying to win this year and do everything I can for this organization this year," Purdy recently stressed. "Everything else happens how it happens. But for me, I need to get better from last year, on the film, and the things that I saw from last year. My rookie year, it's like I've got this thing in me where I want to continue to master my craft, and that's that.
"It's a business, obviously, too. But for me, I love this game. I love just competing with these guys in this organization. I love this organization, and I want to continue to represent myself for them, and in the right way. So that's where I'm at with that. Getting too caught up in all that kind of stuff is, for me, that's nonsense. So, just taking it one day at a time and getting better."
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