Even with the contract disputes the 49ers have had to navigate here in the 2024 NFL offseason, finally settling issues with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams just ahead of the start of the year, San Francisco is still in an enviable position in terms of its payroll. The 49ers have structured their deals so that they have $46.3 million to work with this season, the second-most space in the NFL, according to Over The Cap.
The problem, though, is that the 49ers’ bills will eventually come due. They’ve been able to kick their hefty payroll issues down the road, but they will not be able to keep doing that beyond this season, especially once the most obvious salary quirk on the team’s books finally changes.
That would be the extension the 49ers will have to give quarterback Brock Purdy likely in about five or six months, removing the advantage the team has had thanks to paying the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft just $1 million this year and $1.6 million combined for his first two seasons in the Bay Area.
Purdy is not just due a raise. According to Spotrac, he is due the biggest raise in the history of the NFL.
Brock Purdy Likely to Earn ‘Biggest Raise in NFL History’
That is according to NFL contract expert and managing editor Mike Ginnitti of Spotrac, who looked ahead to the future of all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks and their contracts in an article titled, “Starting QB Future Contract Outlooks.”
While quarterback salaries have exploded in recent years, to the point where unproven and even middling talents are being paid top-of-market contracts, Purdy figures to truly break the 49ers bank if he can put together another star-caliber season here in 2024.
Wrote Ginnitti: “Purdy’s rookie contract has 2 years, $2M remaining through 2025. However, you may have heard, the former #262 overall pick becomes extension-eligible after 2024. He may potentially earn the single biggest raise in NFL history from his current $1.1M salary in 2025.”
Purdy led the 49ers to the Super Bowl last season, amassing 4,280 yards in the air with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was the most efficient quarterback in the NFL, leading the league with 13.9 yards per completion and a rating of 113.0.
49ers Must Pay up, or Someone Else Will
Purdy still battles the perception that he is a “system” quarterback, and his numbers are the result of Kyle Shanahan’s offense and the many weapons the 49ers have put around him. Still, he has gone 17-4 in his regular-season career as a starter, and 4-2 as a playoff starter (though one of the losses came after he was injured in 2022 against Philadelphia).
But the NFL quarterback market has seen largely unproven quarterbacks like Jordan Love ($220 million over four years, one playoff win), Trevor Lawrence (five years, $275 million, one layoff win) and Tua Tagovailoa (four years, $212 million, zero playoff wins) get market-resetting deals.
Purdy is much more accomplished than those players. Spotrac’s algorithm projects Purdy’s contract to be worth a little more than $52 million per year, for $209 million total, which is almost certainly too low. He’s sure to top the $55 million annually Love and Lawrence got.
The 49ers do not necessarily have to pay Purdy that much. They could force him to play out his fifth-year option—that would likely lead to a holdout—or they could trade him and take a chance on another high-value, low-salaried option.
Another team, though, would give Purdy the bag, though, in free agency. And he’d be in line for the biggest raise the sport has ever seen when he does.
