The San Francisco 49ers’ strategy to begin the offseason involved shedding salary. They cut fullback Kyle Juszczyk (but have since re-signed him), traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel and watched many talented defensive players leave in free agency. Such drastic actions coming after a 6-11 campaign aren’t exactly what most fans hoped to see.
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Of course, such moves were a necessary evil for the 49ers. They’re going to have to give quarterback Brock Purdy a large contract extension very soon. And unfortunately, Purdy is unlikely to give them a hometown discount.
Why? Well, since he entered the league as Mr. Irrelevant in 2022, Purdy has been paid peanuts. He made just $985K in salary in 2024. This year, he’s slated to make $5.3 million because of the league’s proven performance escalators. However, via average annual value (AAV) on his original contract, he’ll only be the 90th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL in 2025.
Have you heard of Jake Fromm or Shane Buechele? How about Sean Clifford or Sam Hartman? If you’re tuned into college football, maybe so. Fromm started two games for the New York Giants in 2021. Clifford has more career carries (3) than pass attempts (1). Buechele and Hartman have not played a single regular season down in the NFL. But they’re all making a higher AAV than Purdy, who has a fourth-place MVP finish on his resume.
Even if Purdy’s escalators are considered, he’s still only the 37th highest-paid quarterback next season. Zach Wilson just got $6 million to be Tua Tagovailoa’s backup. Purdy will want to be appropriately paid, and then some, on his extension because of those previous paltry paydays.
49ers insider says team “can’t pay” Brock Purdy as “top 16 QB”
Brock Purdy, when he’s well, is a smooth criminal in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. His play in 2023 is exactly what Shanahan envisions from his signal-callers. That version of Purdy deserves a big paycheck.
However, what Purdy has reportedly been seeking – $40 million to $50 million – seems steep. Even in his strong 2023 campaign, he didn’t show a consistent ability to elevate the players around him. Most analysts would claim his teammates, and Shanahan, elevated his play. It’s for this reason that longtime San Francisco reporter Matt Maiocco thinks the team can’t meet that rumored demand.
“I don’t think you can pay him like a top 18 quarterback, or a top 16 or top 14. If you think he’s the guy, then [you] have to pay him. But as we’ve seen this offseason, with the cost cutting and the belt tightening… they also want to get a deal that they don’t regret.” – Matt Maiocco, The Rich Eisen Show
Matthew Stafford, with his $40 million AAV, is currently the 15th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. If Stafford were younger, he’d probably be making in the $53-55 million AAV range, though, like Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, and Tua Tagovailoa. Those three players, unlike Purdy, have never reached the Super Bowl. So, from his perspective, there’s no reason he should be paid less than them.
Purdy is a fascinating case. He doesn’t have the intriguing physical tools of Love and Lawrence. He’s also not a reclamation project, like former first-round picks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, who each make approximately $35 million per year.
A deal akin to Stafford’s or Kyler Murray’s ($46.1 million) would probably be the most sensible. But, as mentioned, Purdy isn’t settling for a dollar less than what he feels he deserves, even if it harms San Francisco’s ability to field a Super Bowl contender. How the 49ers ultimately navigate this crossroads will be one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason.
