Brock Purdy appeared to be prepared to cash in big, like Dak Prescott big, just a few months back. It wasn’t unreasonable to believe Purdy could aim for that $60 million per year bracket. Especially as the salary cap is skyrocketing and quarterback contracts are breaking records each season. After all, he has led the 49ers to consecutive NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance. While still playing on a rookie contract that pays him a tiny salary in comparison to his peers.
But now? The vibe’s changing. Purdy’s anticipated new contract looks more like a $50 million yearly salary instead of Prescott-level money. Although still top-tier, he is allegedly $10 million short of what his camp had in mind. That’s a big decline, and it could be the first sign that San Francisco is imposing a hard ceiling.
NFL insider Dov Kleiman wrote on social media, stirring up the controversy, “𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: Brock Purdy is expected to get a deal done soon with the 49ers’ with a contract that will be around $50M per year once finalized.” Though it’s not the Prescott-level flex that many had anticipated following his 2024 campaign, a $50 million contract would still place Purdy in the top 12 highest-paid quarterbacks. And that might not just be a matter of performance—it might be a matter of priority. Because, even if the 49ers are publicly praising their quarterback, they recently gave George Kittle a huge contract extension worth $76.4 million for four years, with $40 million guaranteed.
𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: Brock Purdy is expected to get a deal done soon with the 49ers’ with a contract that will be around $50M per year once finalized. pic.twitter.com/ZpPzGRVUoT
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 29, 2025
That’s great for Kittle. But the real question is: Where is your quarterback’s bag if you have the funds to extend your tight end? According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Kittle deal is structured to create cap flexibility by lowering his 2025 hit from the previous $22M figure. “I don’t think it has any significant effect on the Brock Purdy deal,” Schefter emphasised. In theory, the 49ers can afford both, so that makes sense.
Although Kittle got what he wanted by skipping OTAs, Purdy’s contract is yet to be signed. The 49ers’ offer has been “just sitting out there,” according to NBC’s Matt Maiocco, and Purdy’s camp hasn’t made any moves. Not because he is throwing a tantrum, but because he thinks he has earned elite quarterback money. To be honest, he has. In just three seasons, he has amassed over 9,500 passing yards, 64 touchdowns, and two postseason runs, and he is 23-13 as a starter. Despite all of that power, Purdy’s message was unmistakable: try again when you’re serious.
But now, Purdy appears to have blinked first. Even if it doesn’t reach the $55–$60M range that some thought he could command, the reported $50M deal shows that he’s prepared to compromise with the organisation. The bridge has been crossed, solidly enough to set a flag on the other side, but not at full value. And in the meantime, the roster surrounding him is already changing. After cutting Leonard Floyd and moving on from Deebo Samuel and Javon Hargrave. The Niners may need to deal with Brandon Aiyuk to free up $6.1 million, most likely after June 1. San Francisco is retooling quickly to strike a compromise between win-now mentality and financial realities.
Deadline mode: Kyle Shanahan pushes Brock Purdy toward final contract talks
Now, everything is pointing towards summer. That’s when the clock starts ticking. Rebuilding the squad, managing cap gymnastics, and securing their franchise quarterback without sacrificing their long-term flexibility are the top priorities that head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch are balancing. However, rumours state that they have identified the upcoming months as the most likely time frame for a Brock Purdy extension.
“I still think my guess is it would be tracking to get done at some point this summer,” stated Adam Schefter. But then what the team owner, Jed York, stated only made it more plausible: “I know we want Brock here for a long time, and I believe we will make that happen.” It sounded like a final agreement. But weeks have passed, and no ink has touched the page. It seems as though they are organising a party in Purdy’s honour without ever inviting him.
So, what’s causing the delay? Is it the numbers, the timing, the Kittle deal or the Aiyuk decision? Even the idea of using the franchise tag—worth $40M in 2026 and $50M in 2027—is a worst-case fallback plan. And that is what Purdy didn’t want, but now it looks like he may have to settle for it.
For their part, the 49ers are speaking as though they are fully committed to Purdy. According to reports, Shanahan has begun creating an offence that is more closely centred on his skill set. There are even rumours that he may go back to some of the Cyclones’ playbook ideas from Purdy’s time at Iowa State. All of this suggests that Brock Purdy is the one. But until the ink dries and the $50M becomes official, everything else is just noise.
So here we are, with a gap of $10 million. Walking a line between loyalty and cap space. A quarterback who has done better than expected. A head coach who is aware that time is running out. And if this deal isn’t done by summer, it may not get done on the Niners’ terms at all.
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