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Brock Purdy is proof Kyle Shanahan can develop QBs unlike anyone else. His contract suggestion is proof the San Francisco 49ers don't want to do it again.
At around 5 p.m. Eastern time Friday, the Niners announced they'd come to a long-term agreement with their young franchise quarterback. By signing a five-year contract worth $265 million, Purdy vaulted himself to a top 10 average annual salary. His $53 million per year matches what Jared Goff is making from the extension he signed last offseason.
In that regard, locking down a quarterback with a 23-13 record as a starter and four playoff wins in only three seasons is a win. But Purdy carries plenty of risk as he leaps into the stratosphere of NFL pay days. 2024 was proof.
Last fall was a disaster for San Francisco. No team in the league lost more games to injury among its offensive skill players. Christian McCaffrey was limited to four games. His backup, Jordan Mason, played a dozen. Brandon Aiyuk was lost for the season in Week 7. Rookie first round pick Ricky Pearsall was shot before his season began and struggled to produce consistently over 11 games.
Only a single player who had at least a dozen touches (carries and catches) played all 17 games of a 6-11 season, and that was fullback Kyle Juszczyk. With a lineup of Pro Bowl caliber players scratched, Purdy shrank.
His expected points added (EPA) per dropback fell from a league-leading 0.360 in 2023 to 0.208 in 2024 -- still eighth-best, but not enough to pull the 49ers out of the 1-7 tailspin that ended their season. His completion rate fell from 69.4 percent to 65.9 thanks in large part to a receiving corps that no longer got open as easily as it once did -- his tight window throw rate has grown from 9.4 percent as a rookie to 12.8 percent in 2023's Super Bowl run to 17.8 last season (seventh highest in the NFL). His deep ball completion rate slumped from 60.5 percent to 41.9.
Purdy was still good, but he wasn't the difference between winning and losing. It's OK to pay for a good-not-great quarterback -- that's the reality of the NFL and Purdy will make $7 million less per year than Dak Prescott does despite having twice the playoff wins of his older colleague -- but it also limits San Francisco's decision making and roster building going forward.
If the Niners can surround him with talent, Purdy can continue to thrive. That's why you had to pay him. But paying him also means not having the cap space to keep said talent around him. Deebo Samuel was dealt to the Washington Commanders for the modest return of a fifth round draft pick, in large part because he was expensive in 2025 (he'll still count $34 million against the team's salary cap this fall even though he's not playing a snap for San Francisco) and because he was barreling toward free agency in 2026.
George Kittle signed a four-year, $76 million extension this offseason, but general manager John Lynch can effectively cut that down to a two-year deal if Kittle's play slips in his mid-30s. McCaffrey will be 29 years old this season and has more than 2,200 NFL touches on his odometer. Aiyuk's production slipped by 30 full yards per game before a torn ACL ended his year.
With Purdy locked in, San Francisco can't afford to spend top-of-market money on players delivering middle-of-market results. Kittle, McCaffrey and Aiyuk need to play like All-Pros. Pearsall needs to make his rookie contract a bargain.
Extending Purdy wasn't merely a consequence of being a good quarterback or a reward for delivering incredible value as a former seventh-round draft pick. It was a statement about the 49ers belief in their own roster, scouting and development. This move can be an anchor or a foundation. An average Purdy drags the team into the vortex between contention and rebuilding. A great Purdy makes them a Super Bowl threat. But you don't get the great Brock Purdy without some incredible playmakers around him.
Giving him $53 million annually is telling the rest of the NFL Lynch intends to find more talent like Kittle, Samuel and Aiyuk. It's telling the world "sure, we might be able to plug almost anyone into our QB system, but we're not gonna risk finding out." Extending Purdy changes the calculus of Lynch's roster building and Kyle Shanahan's playbook. But if the Niners continue to groom Pro Bowl talent at the skill positions, the equations won't be too much for anyone in the Bay Area to handle.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Brock Purdy's big ol' contract extension is a bet the 49ers had to make
Continue reading...
At around 5 p.m. Eastern time Friday, the Niners announced they'd come to a long-term agreement with their young franchise quarterback. By signing a five-year contract worth $265 million, Purdy vaulted himself to a top 10 average annual salary. His $53 million per year matches what Jared Goff is making from the extension he signed last offseason.
In that regard, locking down a quarterback with a 23-13 record as a starter and four playoff wins in only three seasons is a win. But Purdy carries plenty of risk as he leaps into the stratosphere of NFL pay days. 2024 was proof.
Last fall was a disaster for San Francisco. No team in the league lost more games to injury among its offensive skill players. Christian McCaffrey was limited to four games. His backup, Jordan Mason, played a dozen. Brandon Aiyuk was lost for the season in Week 7. Rookie first round pick Ricky Pearsall was shot before his season began and struggled to produce consistently over 11 games.
Only a single player who had at least a dozen touches (carries and catches) played all 17 games of a 6-11 season, and that was fullback Kyle Juszczyk. With a lineup of Pro Bowl caliber players scratched, Purdy shrank.
His expected points added (EPA) per dropback fell from a league-leading 0.360 in 2023 to 0.208 in 2024 -- still eighth-best, but not enough to pull the 49ers out of the 1-7 tailspin that ended their season. His completion rate fell from 69.4 percent to 65.9 thanks in large part to a receiving corps that no longer got open as easily as it once did -- his tight window throw rate has grown from 9.4 percent as a rookie to 12.8 percent in 2023's Super Bowl run to 17.8 last season (seventh highest in the NFL). His deep ball completion rate slumped from 60.5 percent to 41.9.
Purdy was still good, but he wasn't the difference between winning and losing. It's OK to pay for a good-not-great quarterback -- that's the reality of the NFL and Purdy will make $7 million less per year than Dak Prescott does despite having twice the playoff wins of his older colleague -- but it also limits San Francisco's decision making and roster building going forward.
If the Niners can surround him with talent, Purdy can continue to thrive. That's why you had to pay him. But paying him also means not having the cap space to keep said talent around him. Deebo Samuel was dealt to the Washington Commanders for the modest return of a fifth round draft pick, in large part because he was expensive in 2025 (he'll still count $34 million against the team's salary cap this fall even though he's not playing a snap for San Francisco) and because he was barreling toward free agency in 2026.
George Kittle signed a four-year, $76 million extension this offseason, but general manager John Lynch can effectively cut that down to a two-year deal if Kittle's play slips in his mid-30s. McCaffrey will be 29 years old this season and has more than 2,200 NFL touches on his odometer. Aiyuk's production slipped by 30 full yards per game before a torn ACL ended his year.
With Purdy locked in, San Francisco can't afford to spend top-of-market money on players delivering middle-of-market results. Kittle, McCaffrey and Aiyuk need to play like All-Pros. Pearsall needs to make his rookie contract a bargain.
Extending Purdy wasn't merely a consequence of being a good quarterback or a reward for delivering incredible value as a former seventh-round draft pick. It was a statement about the 49ers belief in their own roster, scouting and development. This move can be an anchor or a foundation. An average Purdy drags the team into the vortex between contention and rebuilding. A great Purdy makes them a Super Bowl threat. But you don't get the great Brock Purdy without some incredible playmakers around him.
Giving him $53 million annually is telling the rest of the NFL Lynch intends to find more talent like Kittle, Samuel and Aiyuk. It's telling the world "sure, we might be able to plug almost anyone into our QB system, but we're not gonna risk finding out." Extending Purdy changes the calculus of Lynch's roster building and Kyle Shanahan's playbook. But if the Niners continue to groom Pro Bowl talent at the skill positions, the equations won't be too much for anyone in the Bay Area to handle.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Brock Purdy's big ol' contract extension is a bet the 49ers had to make
Continue reading...
