The San Francisco 49ers have their future locked up. Late last week, the team announced that they came to terms on a lucrative contract extension for quarterback, Brock Purdy, handing him a five-year, $265 million deal. Guiding the 49ers to two consecutive NFC championship games and a Super Bowl, it came as no surprise that the Niners made Purdy one of the higher paid passers in the league.
Pro Football Focus released its tiers of quarterbacks heading into the season, ranking all 32 of the NFL’s starters. And while Purdy is paid like a top-10 quarterback, PFF placed him just outside the top 10, but nonetheless, he is still among the top half of the league– ranked at No. 11.
Taking a Look at Purdy’s PFF Rank
In the rankings article written by John Kosko, quarterbacks were put into six tiers- elite, high-end starters, solid starters who have flashed high end play, solid starters who need more help, young players with a wide range of outcomes, veterans capable of solid play and low-end starters. Purdy fell just outside of tier two and is among three quarterbacks put into the solid starters who have flashed high end play tier with his No. 11 ranking. The other quarterbacks in that tier include Jared Goff and Geno Smith.
“Purdy may be a product of the system and surrounding talent, but he’s still led one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses over the past three seasons,” Kosko wrote on Purdy. “His play dipped slightly in 2024 as the 49ers battled injuries across the offensive line and receiving corps, yet he still posted the league’s top success rate over the past two years, alongside a seventh-best 90.0 PFF grade.”
Purdy’s ranking comes as no surprise. In 2023, he played at an MVP-level and earned a Pro Bowl nod while guiding the 49ers to an appearance in the Super Bowl. But with injuries, inconsistent play and drama off-the-field, Purdy and the 49ers took a major step back– with Purdy’s numbers taking a massive dip.
Purdy’s 2025 Outlook
With his contract secured, Purdy will go into 2025 with minimal distractions and the chance to regroup ahead of what is expected to be a pivotal season. Experiencing a massive roster exodus this offseason, losing key offensive pieces such as Deebo Samuel, Jordan Mason and Aaron Banks, Purdy will have less weapons to work with and will need to prove that he can still play at an elite level regardless if he has a lot of help or not.
But one advantage that the 49ers have is their strength of schedule. Finishing dead last in the NFC West last season, the Niners schedule consists of teams that finished in last place last season as well and who are still rebuilding. If the 49ers are able to redeem themselves and return to the playoffs after a one season absence, it could help Purdy rise in the rankings. However, if the 49ers are unable to return to prominence, then some serious issues could arise for the future.
