Offseason Chronicles: Should the San Francisco 49ers extend Brock Purdy?

 

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers before Super Bowl LVIII, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas, NV. The 49ers were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs, 25-22. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

"Football is the ultimate team sport," said former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. "We compete as a team, we win as a team, we lose as a team."

Although it has been a few years since Belichick—arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history—said this, it remains a resounding statement that still rings true today. From offence to defence to special teams, all three phases equally contribute to whether or not a team wins or loses a football game, whether it's on a Sunday, Monday, or Thursday night. However, at the end of the day, one position will always stand above the rest on the gridiron: the quarterback position. And in today's NFL, it can be argued that no quarterback is more polarizing than Brock Purdy.

Purdy, who will be entering his fourth season in the NFL this fall, has become one of the league's biggest enigmas. On one hand, some would say that Purdy is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, with his ability to consistently throw the football with pinpoint accuracy. But on the other hand, some think that Purdy is just a glorified "game manager" who only puts up great numbers because he plays in head coach Kyle Shanahan's very quarterback-friendly system. And this offseason, 49ers CEO Jed York and general manager John Lynch will have to make a decision that could ultimately determine the franchise's future, as Purdy is now eligible to sign a contract extension that will pay him millions of dollars. After being selected with the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy signed a four-year rookie contract with an average annual salary of $934,252. It's safe to say that he's going to make a lot more than that with his next contract.

So with that being said, the question becomes crystal clear for Lynch, York, and the rest of the 49ers' brass: Should they sign Brock Purdy to a long-term, big-money extension? And if not, what should the team do at the quarterback position moving forward?

Here are three avenues that the 49ers could take with Brock Purdy this offseason.

Option #1: Pay Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Acrisure Stadium, in Pittsburgh, PA. The 49ers defeated the Steelers, 30-7. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The first option for the 49ers is pretty simple: extend Brock Purdy on a long-term extension.

Purdy--though not as talented a thrower compared to quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson--has shown that he can play at an elite level. During the 2023 NFL season, Purdy was fantastic, throwing for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdown passes while leading the NFL in passer rating (113.0) and passing yards per attempt (9.6) en route to leading the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII. And during that playoff run, Purdy was extremely clutch. In the divisional round of the postseason, Purdy completed six of his seven passes on a drive late in the fourth quarter to help the 49ers get past the Green Bay Packers. Then, after struggling in the first half of the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions, Purdy was superb in the second half, completing 13 of his 16 passes for 174 yards and a dazzling touchdown strike to Brandon Aiyuk to help San Francisco pull off a 17-point comeback and advance to the Super Bowl.

This is a 49ers team that still possesses elite players in their prime on the roster, such as running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, and left tackle Trent Williams on offence, as well as edge rusher Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner at linebacker on defence. Keeping Purdy (who is still just 25 years old) in the Bay Area for the long haul could help the Niners remain one of the top teams in the NFC for the foreseeable future.

Option #2: Let Brock Purdy play out the rest of his contract

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023, at Lumen Field, in Seattle, WA. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks, 31-13. (Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

If the 49ers and Purdy can't agree to terms on a long-term contract extension this offseason, then letting Purdy--entering the final year of his rookie contract--play out the rest of his rookie deal would be the next logical choice for the team. However, doing so could have severe repercussions for the 49ers this season.

For starters, there's a very good chance that Purdy's agent and representation team would advise him to engage in a contract holdout from the team if he isn't signed to a new contract by the beginning of the training camp in July, which makes sense. Purdy would be risking his own health and future by showing up to camp without a long-term deal in place. This could lead to distractions for a 49ers team that, while they did lose a lot of key contributors during free agency, still has a lot of top-end talent on their roster and will try to make a return trip to the playoffs this season.

 If healthy, the Niners can still compete with the best teams in the NFC. The Los Angeles Rams are a very good team that should compete for a Super Bowl this season, but outside of them, there are no other Super Bowl contenders in the NFC West. With better fortune, the 49ers could even challenge the Rams for the division crown. But that can only happen if Purdy is their signal caller under center in 2025.

Option 3: Trade Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers points to the sky after throwing a touchdown pass during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at Levi's Stadium, in Santa Clara, CA. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals, 35-16. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

This is the most far-fetched option by far, but it's worth examining. If the 49ers' front office and Purdy can't agree to terms on a new contract (or the team decides that they would be better off not paying Purdy at all), the franchise could decide to trade him to a quarterback-needy team, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers (although it seems like the Steelers are going to sign Aaron Rodgers at some point during the offseason).

While Purdy is a good quarterback, he also has his fair share of limitations. He doesn't have the strongest arm, and he has small hands, which is why he tends to struggle in wet-weather games. Additionally, Purdy himself admitted that he essentially throws blind 40 percent of the time because he is only 6'1, a short height for quarterbacks.

Ultimately, Purdy is a B+ quarterback who will be looking for a contract that pays him A+ money. The reality of that being the case could potentially scare the 49ers off and lead them to look for another quarterback.

What should the 49ers do with Brock Purdy?

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after winning the NFC Championship Game, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, at Levi's Stadium, in Santa Clara, CA. The 49ers defeated the Detroit Lions, 34-31, to advance to Super Bowl LVIII. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

As I outlined above, there are plenty of scenarios that could play out as it pertains to Brock Purdy and his future with the 49ers. Personally, however, I think that coming to an agreement on a long-term contract extension would be the best solution for both sides.

Sure, Purdy might not be an elite quarterback, but he is a pretty good one, and it's very difficult to find good, B+ quarterbacks in the NFL. Just ask the Cleveland Browns, who have somehow started 40 (yes, that's not a typo) quarterbacks since 1999, a number that only figures to increase with the additions of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders from this year's draft.

Last season, Purdy (despite dealing with horrible circumstances) was solid, throwing for 3,864 yards and 20 touchdown passes while also showing off some mobility as a runner as well, rushing for a career-high 323 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The top four quarterbacks in the NFL right now (in no particular order) are Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow. Based on his level of play over his first three seasons in the league, combined with his playoff success, you can certainly make the argument for Purdy being the fifth-best player at the most important position in the game.

Ultimately, it's much better to have a B+ quarterback who still has room to grow than to have a C or D+ quarterback. A new contract will likely pay Purdy at least $50 million annually. While that is a lot of money, choosing the alternative by getting rid of Purdy (who is a perfect fit for the 49ers' offensive scheme) would be a much worse decision by the 49ers. If the team is going to snap their 30-year championship drought and win their sixth Super Bowl in franchise history in the near future, more likely than not, it's going to happen with "Mr. Irrelevant" leading the way.