Brock Purdy just went from “Mr. Irrelevant” to Mr. $265 Million thanks to the San Francisco 49ers locking up their breakout quarterback with a massive five-year extension. While fans and analysts are celebrating this fairytale arc from Draft blues to Super Bowl, a section of the NFL world has been quick to ask: Did the Niners overpay?
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On paper, the numbers are eye-popping — five years, $265 million, with a massive $181 million guaranteed. But according to former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, the real number one should be paying attention to isn’t $265 million. It’s $181 million. Because that’s where the math and reality start to align, per Edelman.
“The guaranteed money is $181 million over six years,” Edelman explained in the latest edition of Games with Names, as he factored in the final year left on Purdy’s rookie deal. “So what’s $181 divided into four? It’s 45.25. That’s what that is — real money.”
What Julian Edelman here is pointing out is that while contracts often flash huge total values, the guaranteed portion is the only amount players can truly count on.
And when spread over the actual duration he’ll be under contract, Brock Purdy is effectively being paid about $45 million a year in guaranteed cash, not the full average of $53 million, which some headlines suggest.
But the deception doesn’t stop here. As per the Patriots legend, there are also traps hidden in big contracts, namely incentives and escalators that can boost the total value but often depend on hard-to-reach performance milestones.
“I had built-in escalators in my contract,” Edelman said. “If I hit 90 catches, 1,000 yards, six touchdowns, or we went to the Super Bowl, I’d make an extra million. But if you don’t hit those, that money’s not coming.”
Then there are the often-overlooked “guaranteed” bonuses that sound nice on paper but come with strings.
“Roster bonuses are listed as guaranteed,” he noted, “but if you’re not on the active gameday roster, you don’t collect it. So, if you miss a game or two? That comes out of your guaranteed pool.”
Surprisingly enough, the Patriots Hall of Famer revealed that even workout bonuses work on a similar deal. “You’ve got to show up to 80% of the offseason program to get that bonus,” he added. “It’s not just handed to you.”
So Julian Edelman, who played his entire career with New England under a front office known for contract discipline, used his decade-long experience to point out that Brock Purdy’s seventh-round status plays into the structure of this deal too.
“If I was a second- or third-round pick and had the same production, I’d have made more money. Brock surpassed that. Yeah, he took a little less, but he secured $181 million and a no-trade clause. That’s winning.”
So while the flashy $265 million figure may make headlines, the ex-NFL WR’s breakdown offers a reminder that in the big league, it’s not about the headline number, it’s about what hits the bank. And by that measure, Brock Purdy remains not only secure but a millionaire!
