San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been the biggest bargain in the NFL over the last two-plus years, but that’s expected to change sometime during the offseason as the 25-year-old signal-caller is eligible for a contract extension.
A Pro Bowl QB who’s led the 49ers to a 23-13 record as their starter with three straight playoff appearances and two NFC Championship Game appearances, Purdy is in the final year of his $3.7 million rookie contract and expected to sign a new deal that’ll make him one of the highest-paid QBs in the league.
The only problem is, it appears the 49ers are taking the same negotiating tactics with him as they did with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk last year after it was revealed by Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that the team’s first contract offer to Purdy is much lower than most expected.
“49ers playing hardball with Purdy is very on brand,” La Canfora wrote. “Starting your offers at $45M a year is something.”
La Canfora’s report falls in line with what ESPN insider Adam Schefter recently said on “The Pat McAfee Show” about Purdy’s next deal not being as lucrative as most believe it should be.
“I think Brock Purdy certainly could [get $50 million per year], but that’s a question if they get that deal done,” Schefter said. “Brock Purdy obviously is going to want to get a deal and the Niners would want to get a deal done, but the issue is he’s scheduled to make $5.1 million this season. He then could be tagged after next season for $41 million. He could be tagged the season after that for $51 million.
“You’re talking about $97-plus million over the next three years, which for most people would be incredible money, but not for a quarterback who’s waiting to get paid. So the Niners have a bit of a cap issue, a cash issue, so they can’t put Brock Purdy necessarily where he might be. They can go to a certain level where they’d want to pay him, but it’s not going to be, I’d imagine, quite as high as most people think.”
Given Purdy’s numbers over the last two years (8,144 yards passing, 51 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 104.5 passer rating, 467 yards rushing, seven TDs), some might expect him to rank somewhere among the five highest-paid QBs, who all make $53 million per year or more.
Spotrac even projects his market value at $59.7 million per year, which would rank behind only Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott ($60M per year).
Though San Francisco’s offer is roughly $40 million more than Purdy will make this season, it would only put him 12th in terms of highest annual salary among the league’s QBs.