Quarterback Brock Purdy made quite a name for himself when he went from “Mr. Irrelevant,” the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, to leading the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl at the end of his second season. Now, Purdy is in contract negotiations with the 49ers, and they don’t appear close to wrapping up.
Many analysts feel that Purdy is one of the most underpaid players in the NFL. Rookie contracts are almost always lower than those of veteran players. Since Purdy was the last player selected, he received the lowest contract of all, as dictated by the rookie wage scale.
San Francisco has started its Organized Team Activities (OTAs), and fans were curious to see if Purdy would show up. Many players choose to hold themselves out of team activities until their contract talks are resolved.
Did Brock Purdy Punish the 49ers by Skipping OTAs?
Purdy is not the only 49er currently engaged in contract negotiations with the front office. His teammate, tight end George Kittle, is also working on an extension. According to NFL Network insider and analyst Ian Rapoport, he did not report to the team, while Purdy did.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy has arrived with his team for voluntary offseason conditioning, per me and @TomPelissero, as the two sides are having continued conversations about an extension.
Star TE George Kittle won’t be in attendance, as his contract extension is not close. pic.twitter.com/mlagJerjIS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
“49ers QB Brock Purdy has arrived with his team for voluntary offseason conditioning, per me and Tom Pelissero, as the two sides are having continued conversations about an extension. Star TE George Kittle won’t be in attendance, as his contract extension is not close,” Rapoport posted on X.
At the end of the 2024 season, Purdy expressed his gratitude to the 49ers organization and said he hoped for drama-free contract discussions. The longer time passes, the more difficult it is for San Francisco to agree to terms with other players like Kittle.
The question is how much Purdy is asking for—and how much the 49ers are willing to pay. There have been reports that Purdy is seeking upwards of $50 million annually. Some analysts, like Chris Simms, believe that figure is steep, especially considering a large part of Purdy’s success comes from playing in a system loaded with elite talent.
During the 2024 season, PFSN’s QB+ metric ranked Purdy an impressive seventh among all starting quarterbacks with a grade of B+. Despite his strong play, the 49ers missed the postseason, largely due to injuries that hit key parts of the roster.
His score of 88 was actually his lowest PFSN grade to date, having earned an A in 2023. The offense as a whole received a PFSN Offense+ metric grade of B+, with a score of 87.6.
The 49ers have fielded one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses in recent years. Now they have to decide just how much of that success belongs to Purdy—and how much they’re willing to pay to keep him.
