Brock Purdy will enter the last year of his rookie contract in 2025. The San Francisco 49ers are expected to offer him an extension this offseason, but the quarterback’s performance in 2024 has raised doubts about whether the franchise should sign him on a long-term basis.
Purdy is coming off the worst statistical season of his still nascent NFL career, which was fueled by injuries to Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and several other 49ers players during the season. His market value has taken a hit, yet NFL insider Jordan Schultz believes the Iowa State product could get a decent salary with his new contract.
Jordan Schultz Provides Info on Brock Purdy’s Market Value
Schultz discussed Purdy’s market value during a recent segment on FS1’s “Speak.” The insider believes the 49ers star could get a deal with a salary in the range of $40 million to $45 million.
“I don’t think he’s worth $50-45 [million], I think he’s worth somewhere between $40-45 [million],” Schultz said. “And as Mr. Irrelevant, you ask, ‘Why do we ding him?’ It’s because, No. 1, his head coach is Kyle Shanahan, and No. 2, it’s because he was Mr. Irrelevant. If Brock Purdy was a first-, second-round pick, I don’t think the narrative would be as it is today. He gets dinged for things that he has no control over.”
It’s true that the 25-year-old quarterback’s performance has often been overlooked because he was the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Quarterbacks like Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, and Daniel Jones have signed lucrative extensions with less production than Purdy.
.@Schultz_Report: I think Brock Purdy is worth somewhere between $40-$45M a year. pic.twitter.com/izfglPZyjQ
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) January 18, 2025
Having Shanahan as his coach and a good supporting cast has worked both in favor and against the 49ers quarterback. Nobody knows how good he actually can be outside of the system where other quarterbacks may play well, which is why he is projected to sign a deal of much less value than the recent standards of $50+ million in annual salary.
“He [Purdy] is a very solid NFL quarterback, and he has proven he is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback,” added Schultz. “… I think Brock Purdy has earned a nice contract, somewhere along the lines of Baker Mayfield. … If you pay Brock Purdy now, then you’re going to have to seriously consider moving off of other guys, and that’s also a big factor in the decision.”
In 15 games this past season, the 49ers quarterback threw for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, completing 65.9% of his throws with a passer rating of 96.1.
The 2024 season was difficult for the 49ers as the team dealt with multiple injuries while some players dealt with serious, personal tragedies. The NFC West team finished with a record of 6-11, but since Purdy has already taken the team to a Super Bowl and has had two great seasons for them, the 49ers will look to keep him around for the foreseeable future.
The roster construction will get tougher if the quarterback gets paid over $40 million annually, but it can be solved by drafting better. Apart from the Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers have been one of the most consistent teams in the NFL in the 2020s, so they need to learn from the defending champions how to construct a better roster while the quarterback gets paid top-of-the-market money.
Kyle Shanahan Has To Take the Next Step for the 49ers To Succeed
Purdy struggled this season, and so did many other 49ers players. It’s now time for Shanahan to take the next step in his coaching career and win with a team that is not stacked with elite players all over the field.
He has done a great job getting the best out of quarterbacks like Purdy and Jimmy Garoppolo, but they were aided by great rosters. Now that the team’s quarterback is expected to earn 40 times more than he was previously, the 49ers’ head coach and general manager, John Lynch, must be smarter in making personnel decisions.
The 2025 season might be their last run at the Super Bowl with the current core, as the team will have to trim down the cost by parting ways with some of their veteran players. George Kittle and Deebo Samuel Sr. will be unrestricted free agents in 2026, and it will be tough for the team to keep them beyond that.
As a result, the 49ers need to focus on the upcoming draft and prepare for the future. They have the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and currently have eight picks in 2025. In the last three drafts, San Francisco has been able only to get Malik Mustapha, Purdy, and potentially Ricky Pearsall as the players who look like they will be major contributors to the team in the future.
Hitting on three or four players out of the possible 26 is a recipe for disaster for any team, and if the 49ers want to extend their Super Bowl window, their front office and head coach must do a better job evaluating college players.
