Underpaid Brock Purdy is eligible for a contract extension when the 49ers’ season ends on January 5, 2025. Understandably, experts predict a deal between $50 and $60 million. After all, Purdy’s current 4-year, $3.7 million deal is one of the lowest in the league, and a new contract in the $60M range would push him into the top five paid QBs in terms of average annual salary.
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However, following the 49ers’ disastrous 6-10 season and Purdy’s own struggles, analyst Jason Whitlock believes it would be “insane” to pay the QB $60 million per year.
“The San Francisco 49ers would be absolutely insane to pay Brock Purdy $60 million a year. That’s my takeaway from Monday Night Football and 16 games this season. Hey man, Brock Purdy is a nice quarterback. He’s like Dak Prescott. He is not worth $60 million a year. Brock Purdy, if he were in his right mind, wouldn’t allow his agent to pursue a contract worth $60M a year. It will destroy the San Francisco locker room,” Whitlock explained on his YouTube channel.
Whitlock is right about the season going haywire for the 49ers QB. So far in the 2024 season, Purdy has thrown for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, with a QB rating of 67.8. These are not disappointing numbers but are not enough for a mega contract, considering that it is not contributing big to the team’s win.
Adding to the uncertainty, Purdy’s ankle injury, suffered during the game against the Detroit Lions, could impact the 49ers’ decision on his contract, fears noted analyst Rich Eisen. However, amid these setbacks, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has expressed confidence in Purdy, suggesting that the season’s struggles could be viewed as an anomaly rather than a reason to draw long-term conclusions.
“He (Brock Purdy) hasn’t run from anything. He’s attacked everything, plays as hard as he can, works as hard as he can, and comes in always on Mondays and Tuesdays, faces the truth of everything, and comes back and grinds, trying to get better each week,” Shanahan remarked in the press conference after the Lions game.
Shanahan also admitted that it’s unlikely Purdy will suit up for the matchup against the Cardinals. And understandably so, with the playoffs out of reach, there’s no urgency to risk further injury for the #13 QB.
Meanwhile, those advocating for a contract in the $55 million range point to Purdy’s stellar performance in the 2023-24 season. This was a stellar season where 49ers QB posted a passer rating of 113.0, throwing for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 16 games. More importantly, his dynamic leadership helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl, where he threw for 255 yards and one touchdown in a hard-fought 22-25 loss to the Chiefs.
Considering Purdy’s track record, impact within the team, and the 49ers’ injury-ridden season, it’s likely that he’ll land a deal closer to the $50 to $55 million range in 2025, which is the market standard for NFL quarterbacks.
