“You Have No Choice”: Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson Argue About Brock Purdy Reportedly Seeking a $50M Contract

The San Francisco 49ers’ season has not gone as planned. They’ve not officially been eliminated from postseason contention yet, but have practically no chance of making the playoffs.

Their struggles have come in tandem with immense injury woes. Quarterback Brock Purdy wasn’t immune to those problems, missing Week 12 with a shoulder issue. However, when healthy, he hasn’t been able to elevate San Francisco to victories. Yet, heading into the offseason, Purdy is reportedly seeking a contract extension of $50-$60 million per year.

Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussed Purdy’s situation on Tuesday’s episode of Nightcap. Sharpe said he wouldn’t give Purdy “nowhere near $50 million.” Johnson seemed to share his sentiment, but expressed that the 49ers may have to meet Purdy’s demands.

“They might have no choice but to pay Purdy. [If] you don’t want to pay him what he’s worth – or what the market says he should be paid… you have no one to replace him. You have no choice.”

Sharpe and Johnson both mentioned recently signed contracts in their arguments. In the end, Sharpe appeared to pull Johnson to his side.

Shannon Sharpe: “I’d give [Purdy] $35-$40 million”

There are currently nine NFL quarterbacks making more than $50 million in annual salary. Over the past three years, Brock Purdy has made less than them and essentially every other signal-caller. This season, he’s the 84th highest-paid quarterback in the league. To say he’s underpaid would be an understatement.

Purdy, to a degree, probably wants his next contract to make up for some of his lost earnings. The NFL doesn’t really work that way. It’s a “what have you done for me lately?” business. And lately, he hasn’t played at a level worthy of a $50 million per-year payday. This is why Sharpe told Johnson he’d “give [Purdy] $35-$40 million.”

That average annual value would put him in the mid-teens of quarterback deals, alongside Matthew Stafford ($40 million) and Aaron Rodgers ($37.5 million). Johnson compared San Francisco’s situation to that of the New York Giants signing Daniel Jones in 2023. New York felt like there wasn’t a better alternative and spent up for him. They benched and cut him this November.

Could something similar happen to Purdy? Nobody can say for sure. What’s certain is that Purdy, on his best day, is considered a high-end game manager. Does that description sound more like Jones or Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow? The answer is obvious, which is why Sharpe thinks the 49ers shouldn’t meet Purdy’s apparent asking price.

“Put him on the [franchise tag] for two years. Let him bet [on himself]… What did Tampa [Bay] pay Baker Mayfield?”

The Bucs inked Mayfield to a three-year, $100 million contract extension last offseason after giving him a one-year, $4 million deal in 2023. They let Mayfield prove himself before giving him a nice contract. They showed it’s possible to find great quarterback play without paying someone $50 million simply because they’re “next up.”

San Francisco hasn’t managed to win a Super Bowl with Purdy making minimal dough on a loaded roster. Paying him $50 million – and sacrificing some of their other stars in the process – doesn’t seem like a winning strategy. If they go that route, they may find themselves resembling the Giants and fighting for the No. 1 pick before they’re championship contenders again.