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is poised to become the highest-paid player for the San Francisco 49ers next year. That's when the team can begin contract extension negotiations. There's ongoing speculation about where Purdy's impending mega-deal will land compared to the contracts of other elite quarterbacks. While some anticipate he could command the highest salary in the league, especially if he replicates his stellar 2023 performance, others suggest he deserves to be handsomely paid, but without necessarily topping the market.
Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum, currently an ESPN analyst, offered his viewpoint on "NFL Live," outlining why he thinks it's advantageous for both Purdy and the 49ers if the quarterback doesn't demand the highest salary in the league.
"Well, he'll have, basically, one year left after this year, and then, of course, they could franchise him," Tannenbaum explains. "So I don't expect him to be at the very top of the market, the 52, 53, 54 million dollar range. Maybe somewhere in the mid-40s, and say to Brock Purdy, 'We could give you a massive guarantee, a really good average per year, maybe make you top eight or nine, but we're not completely at the top of the market because, again, we could at least wait two more years.'
"So I would think they'll find some middle ground. ... If you could keep
Brandon Aiyuk as a number one, that'd be great. And that's one of the things I would be talking to Brock Purdy about, that, 'Look, [Bills QB] Josh Allen, he did his extension. All those defensive players graduated (left to other teams). If we could keep you a little bit lower than that, hopefully, we could keep as much of this core together as possible.'"
There are ways for the 49ers to compensate Purdy appropriately while retaining a competitive roster. As Tannenbaum noted, Purdy is under contract until the 2025 season, with his extension likely to feature a smaller salary cap figure in its initial 2026 year, gradually increasing over the contract's duration. This approach enables the 49ers to sustain their core player group for a little longer.
However, none of that is on the 49ers quarterback's mind right now. He remains focused on the upcoming season and guiding his team back to the Super Bowl for another opportunity at a championship.
"
I'm trying to win this year and do everything I can for this organization this year," Purdy recently stressed. "Everything else happens how it happens. But for me, I need to get better from last year, on the film, and the things that I saw from last year. My rookie year, it's like I've got this thing in me where I want to continue to master my craft, and that's that.
"It's a business, obviously, too. But for me, I love this game. I love just competing with these guys in this organization. I love this organization, and I want to continue to represent myself for them, and in the right way. So that's where I'm at with that. Getting too caught up in all that kind of stuff is, for me, that's nonsense. So, just taking it one day at a time and getting better."
While the 49ers fell just short of a Super Bowl victory last season, Purdy is coming off an impressive 2023 campaign that saw the quarterback throw for 4,280 passing yards, a new single-season franchise record. Financial security won't be a concern if Purdy's play keeps trending upward. However, his ultimate goal remains triumphantly lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Logan Ryan appeared in five regular season games for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, with two of those appearances in a starting role. Ryan also played in all three of the 49ers' postseason games, including the Super Bowl last February.
Ryan's time with the 49ers started a little differently considering he wasn't in the league when the team called him. Ryan was on a cruise with his family when the 49ers decided they needed another defensive back. They called Ryan and before he knew it, he was on his way to Santa Clara to play for a team that almost won the Super Bowl.
Last month, Ryan sat down with Keyshawn Johnson on the "All Facts No Brakes" Podcast. During the interview, Johnson asked Ryan if 49ers QB Brock Purdy is here to stay or if everyone is waiting for
Tim Kawakami fielded questions from fans in a recent mailbag for The Athletic. One curious fan wondered what a new contract for Brock Purdy might look like and if the San Francisco 49ers quarterback might aim to become the NFL's highest-paid player.
Of course, the term "highest-paid" is subjective. It typically refers to the player with the highest average salary per year. However, long-term deals can be more complex. They often start with low salaries to save the team salary-cap space early in the contract and then increase over time.
Additionally, some later years may not be guaranteed, as teams can include exit points or restructure
Fans had the opportunity to cheer for Brock Purdy tonight as the San Francisco 49ers quarterback threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park, preceding the Giants' game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
QB1 has arrived 🫡 pic.twitter.com/FDDdVS30p4— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 15,
Rumors circulated before and during the 2024 NFL Draft about the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers losing one of their top two wide receivers—Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel. Such a scenario could have significantly impacted the team's success in the upcoming season and posed a potential blow for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has thrived alongside the dynamic duo on the field.
However, none of these speculations came to fruition. Both Aiyuk and Samuel remain on the roster, at least for another season, though their future beyond that remains uncertain.
Aiyuk is seeking a contract extension that would position him among the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. At the same time, Samuel already commands a significant salary following a deal rework in 2022.
