Surrounded by an abundance of talent, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy delivered a phenomenal, record-breaking 2023 season, throwing for 4,280 yards. However, his 2024 performance saw a dip, with 3,864 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 96.1 passer rating—all falling short of his previous year's numbers.
A significant factor in Purdy's regression was the absence of key playmakers due to injuries, leaving him with fewer weapons on offense. As the 49ers prepare to make Purdy the highest-paid player in franchise history—and one of the NFL's biggest contracts—critics argue his diminished 2024 production raises questions about whether he merits a top-tier contract.
Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young has consistently praised Purdy's exceptional cognitive ability to process the game. However, the 49ers legend admits that Purdy isn't the kind of quarterback who can single-handedly carry a team, stressing the importance of surrounding him with offensive talent.
"His superpower is processing, and he can process better than almost any[body]," Young said Friday on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "I would put him against anybody, but he's not going to be running around like [Commanders QB] Jayden Daniels. So, he needs to figure out ways to make up for that.
"And some of those ways, if you're a great processor, is give me more opportunities coming out of the huddle, the play that's called. Give me guys that are open because I can process and find them."
Young emphasized how having such weapons around Purdy enabled the 49ers to reach Super Bowl LVIII during the 2023 season, falling just short of winning a championship.
"We had people open all over the place," Young explained. "We were threatening all over the place, and Brock fills all of that up. So, all I'm saying is, I don't know the ins and outs exactly of what we can pay, what we can't, what matters. But if we're going to be in the Super Bowl, we need to be laden with talent.
"And I'm sure that's obvious for every other team, but we have to have just extra people to make sure that we give Brock Purdy every chance to go win us Super Bowls."
This offseason presents a critical challenge for general manager John Lynch and his staff: signing Purdy to a long-term extension while managing a competitive roster. Allocating a substantial portion of salary cap space to the quarterback position makes balancing the roster even more difficult.
Young added, "All I'm saying is, whatever that magic is that needs to happen to make sure that we hold on to All-Pro talent all over ... every quarterback in the league needs tons of help, and Brock needs every inch of it to be in the Super Bowl again."
