Brock Purdy is heading into the final year of his rookie contract with the San Francisco 49ers. The Iowa State alum has led the team to two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance. However, last season didn’t go as planned.
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The 49ers struggled, finishing last in the NFC West with a losing record. While many believe Purdy has earned a contract extension, the front office doesn’t seem to be in a rush.
So far, they haven’t entered active negotiations with him or his agent. That raises the question: Do they plan to pay him, or are they considering a different path?
49ers insider Grant Cohn has suggested a bold strategy. He believes San Francisco should draft a quarterback in this year’s draft to gain leverage in contract talks with Purdy. In his view, selecting a QB early would signal that the team is at least open to moving on rather than handing Purdy a $50 million-per-year deal. If that’s the case, Purdy becomes more of a bridge quarterback, and his next contract would reflect that.
“You could argue that the big mistake the Niners made in 2021 was trading up. They wanted Mac Jones. They traded up to 3, and he went 15th. Maybe the Niners learned their lesson.”
Cohn floated the idea of drafting Shedeur Sanders, either with the 12th overall pick or later in the first round. He compared it to what the 49ers did in 2021, when they traded up to take Trey Lance despite having Jimmy Garoppolo under contract. While the team had reportedly targeted Mac Jones in that draft, they pivoted to Lance when Jones fell to 15th.
“Maybe they are just lying in the weeds, playing possum and not saying anything. Then all of a sudden, when Shedeur Sanders is on the board at 11 or Jaxson Dart, they are like We never saw this coming. We just strengthened our QB room and now we have three starting QBs.”
This time, Cohn believes the Niners have learned their lesson. Rather than trading up, they could stay put and select another potential starter—someone who could compete with Purdy and offseason addition Mac Jones.
According to Cohn, the 49ers need better depth in their quarterback room. Purdy has a history of injuries, and the team has struggled in his absence. Well, he is also open to drafting Jaxson Dart in a later round.
Grant Cohn’s suggestion might sound like a hot take, and while the 49ers did pull off something similar in 2021 by drafting both Trey Lance and Brock Purdy while still paying Jimmy Garoppolo, it doesn’t quite add up this time around.
Not paying Purdy now would be a head-scratcher. He knows the system, has proven he can win when healthy, and has taken this team deep into the playoffs. He’s earned his shot at being the franchise QB, at least for the near future.
Plus, the 49ers are heading into the draft with a depleted roster and multiple pressing needs. Why would they spend a valuable pick on a quarterback when they have holes at key positions like left tackle, cornerback, linebacker, and edge rusher? They need ready-made starters, not a developmental QB.
That said, while Purdy deserves to get paid, it shouldn’t be anywhere near $50 million per year. A smarter move would be to offer a shorter, team-friendly deal—something like three years for $140 million with strong guarantees. That would put him in the same financial range as veterans like Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith—respectable, but not cap-crunching.
