Once this season is in the books, the San Francisco 49ers will likely set their sights on securing quarterback Brock Purdy with a long-term contract, potentially making him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history.
Purdy has recorded 2,101 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season and is on pace to break his own single-season franchise passing record set last season. Although his completion percentage, touchdown percentage, yards per attempt, and passer rating have dipped from last season, one 49ers insider believes that if Purdy maintains his current trajectory, he'll receive compensation at a top-tier quarterback level.
"Yes, he needs to be sharper against man coverage," wrote Matt Barrows of The Athletic. "And, yes, his completion percentage — which was around 70 percent last season — has dipped to 64.5 percent this year. But he still ranked fourth in passing yards and eighth in rushing yards heading into the bye and promises to be compensated like a top-10 passer."
Now in his third NFL season, Purdy has played a pivotal role in the 49ers' recent success, helping them reach two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl in the past two years. Barrows points out that the 49ers were ready to make Jimmy Garoppolo the highest-paid player in 2018 based on just five starts, so Purdy's two-and-a-half seasons have provided ample time for the team to evaluate the last overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Purdy has made it clear that he's not currently focused on his next contract. Instead, his attention remains on this season.
"Obviously, we have a goal at hand, going all the way, and winning, and finishing it," Purdy said in August. "So that's where my mindset's at. To be caught up in the money and the stats, all that kind of stuff down the road, I'd be wrong if that's where my mindset was at, and so it's not."
While Barrows doesn't predict a specific number for Purdy's potential contract, the top 10 quarterback salaries range from Kyler Murray's $46.1 million annually to Dak Prescott's $60 million annually. A top-9 level contract would land Purdy in the range of $51 million per year.
Notably, the top four highest-paid quarterbacks earn at least $55 million annually.
Barrows also cautions the 49ers to get a deal done quickly, as their tendency to stretch out negotiations has cost them significant money in the past, with just one example being wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's new deal. The team would have saved a lot of money by signing him much earlier in the offseason.
"It also ought to be a lesson to the 49ers: The quicker that deal is completed, the more they'll save," Barrows concluded.
