San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is on track to become the highest-paid player in franchise history—and one of the highest-paid players in the NFL. That much seems almost inevitable. However, it's becoming increasingly unlikely that Purdy's agent will secure a deal that makes him the league's highest-paid player, surpassing the $60 million annual salary earned by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
So, where will Purdy's salary rank among the league's top quarterbacks? Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer joined The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday to offer his perspective.
While Breer believes Purdy's camp will need to compromise on salary, he also suggests the 49ers could sweeten the deal with additional guarantees.
"I think they're going to find a middle ground," Breer said. "I think he's going to wind up not being the highest-paid [player], but one thing you can do for a quarterback is you can exchange the raw dollars for maybe an extra year of guarantees, where you can give him the comfort level that you are going to be our quarterback."
Breer noted that the 49ers might look at Jared Goff's contract as a model for Purdy. Last year, Goff signed a four-year, $212 million extension, with $170 million guaranteed and $113.6 million fully guaranteed.
"If you're the Niners, you can look at him with a straight face, and you can say, 'We think you can bring to our team what Jared Goff brings [to] the Lions,'" Breer continued. "I know this: this thing could be simple. It could wind up becoming really complicated. We'll see. The Niners want Brock Purdy to be their quarterback.
"[Head coach] Kyle Shanahan loves Brock Purdy, and the idea of building around Brock Purdy is something that really appeals to them. And they don't want to sink to the bottom of the league and have to rebuild around somebody else. And they've already done the Trey Lance thing.
"And so, I think they're going to find a way to get it done, and the team is going to look different around him next year. And they're going to have to deal with some different challenges, having a quarterback at the top of the market on their books."
Breer also highlighted some tough decisions looming for the 49ers this offseason. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel's future with the team appears uncertain, while key contributors like cornerback Charvarius Ward are set to hit free agency and probably won't return.
Still, Breer expects Purdy to remain with the 49ers for years to come.