In 2024, the San Francisco 49ers will experience a third and likely final season of having the biggest bargain in sports. After drafting quarterback Brock Purdy with the 262nd and final pick of the 2022 draft, they signed the Iowa State alum to a four-year, $3.7 million contract. Purdy was guaranteed only $77,008, which is about 0.2% of what No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker was guaranteed by the Jaguars.
Since then, Purdy has become one of the league’s most productive quarterbacks. Stepping in for the injured Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, he has achieved a 17-4 record as a starter with a 71.4 QBR over the past two seasons. Only Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have surpassed that mark since the beginning of 2022. Purdy has also led San Francisco on two deep playoff runs, with one ending in the NFC Championship Game due to a torn UCL in his right elbow and the other in Super Bowl LVIII against Mahomes. The only quarterback to win more playoff games than Purdy’s four in his first two seasons is Ben Roethlisberger.
Despite his success, there is skepticism around Purdy, possibly due to his status as a seventh-round pick. He has benefitted from an exceptional set of playmakers, ranked No. 1 in the league in both the 2023 and 2024 season previews, has played behind one of the best left tackles in Trent Williams, and has had Kyle Shanahan, one of the top offensive minds in football, as his playcaller.
Some critics attribute Purdy’s success to his supportive environment, while others believe he has elevated the offense independently. The truth likely lies somewhere in between, highlighting his crucial role in San Francisco’s Super Bowl ambitions.
As Purdy becomes eligible for a new deal in 2025, potentially earning about $60 million per season, this season feels like the 49ers’ last shot at a Super Bowl with their current roster. General manager John Lynch and his team will face a critical decision: re-sign Purdy and make cutbacks elsewhere, possibly affecting the playmakers who have boosted his performance, or retain the rest of the roster and move on from a productive but expensive quarterback, even if it means starting fresh with an unknown.
This decision will be one of the most intriguing of the coming year. We need to evaluate Purdy’s performance, compare him to other early-career quarterbacks who were later exposed, consider the potential cutbacks the 49ers might face, and explore why these changes might impact them more than other teams. Finally, we must question if they can justify moving on from Purdy and opting for another low-cost quarterback.
Let’s begin by examining Purdy’s on-field performance to contextualize the start of his career.
