After the Trey Lance disaster in 2021, the 49ers fans were dissatisfied when their team selected Brock Purdy (262 overall) as their QB draft pick in 2022. Supporters prepared themselves for yet another disappointment but Purdy defied all expectations with a strong rookie season. He took things a notch higher in his sophomore season last year when he set a franchise record for passing yards (4,280) and became the first QB for the 49ers since 2001 to throw more than 30 TD passes.
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Purdy’s base salary of $870,000 was barely enough for this incredible performance. Still, luckily for him, the NFL’s performance-based pay distribution for players performing beyond their contract levels stepped up to cover. As per reports, Purdy has received a bonus of $739,795 from the NFL for his stellar role in taking the 49ers to the Super Bowl. His additional check ranks as the 24th largest payout of the year and he is the only QB in the top 25 players this year to have received additional pay from the NFL.
The list is dominated by offensive linemen with 7 of the top 9 being players from that position. The highest additional pay this year has been received by Ravens’ guard John Simpson who has earned a whopping $974,613 in bonus, which is very near to his one-year minimum contract of $1.01 million.
Eagles safety Reed Blankenship ($923,059), Bills tackle Spencer Brown ($912,723), Bengals guard Cordell Volson ($905,972) and Dolphins CB Kader Kohou ($878,167) are the next in line, completing the top 5.
All said and done, Purdy’s contract is certainly low for a player who finished 4th in the MVP race this year. However, luckily for him, he doesn’t have to rely on the NFL’s additional pay scheme anymore as a bumper contract extension is around the corner.
“Those Guys Should Be Paid A Lot” – 49ers owner Jed York Plans To Make Purdy His Franchise QB
As per the Over The Cap [h/t AZ Central], Brock Purdy signed a four-year contract in 2022 with a very small year-on-year increment cycle. Over The Cap reports that Purdy will have to wait till 2025 to rake in a million dollars from his base salary. However, he gets eligible for a contract extension after the 2024 season, thanks to the NFL CBA’s rule of rookies being prohibited from negotiating contracts until a certain passage of time.
However, it will be worth the wait for Purdy because Jets owner Jed York in his recent statement expressed his willingness to make Purdy one of the highest-paid QBs in the league. His eagerness to spend and retain Purdy won over the fans and is a positive sign for the young player.
“I think it’s a good problem when your quarterback is one of your highest-paid guys on your team and in the league,” York said. “It’s not like Brock is going to ask for something that no one has ever asked for before. … The quarterback is the most important position, not just in football but in all sports. And those guys should be paid a lot of money.”
As of now, Joe Burrow is the highest-paid QB in the NFL right now with the Bengals star making $55 million annually. Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts are the other superstars who make more than $50 million a year annually through their salaries. Only time can tell if the 49ers will give Purdy a massive 50-times bump to his current contract. Yet, it is safe to say that exciting times are ahead for Brock Purdy.
