Brock Purdy is making only $985,000 for the 49ers in base salary for the 2024 season. That puts him 57th among NFL quarterbacks. His rookie four-year contract averages less, at $934,252, ranking him even lower at 79th among QBs in the league.
This will be the last season, however, in which Purdy the No. 262 overall and final seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is paid like an unproven backup after breaking out for two big seasons as San Francisco's starter.
Come early 2025, Purdy can go from a bargain Mr. Irrelevant to a most relevant and significant contract that is up there with the NFL's most well-compensated players. The 49ers know they need to act with quarterback salaries continuing to escalate fast after an offseason in which several young QBs were given lucrative contract extensions.
There's a high ceiling on how much Purdy can earn. With another elite season of downfield passing and keeping the 49ers as strong Super Bowl contenders, Purdy can even reset the market. Here's looking at how little Purdy has earned so far and just how big his next contract can get:
Brock Purdy contract history
Purdy will turn 25 near the end of 2024. In 2022, he signed a four-year rookie deal with a total value of $3.737 million and only $77,008 of it guaranteed. He would become a free agent in 2026, but the 49ers, assuming he plays so well again, will need to take care of his new deal by the middle of next offseason.
Should he play into 2025 without a new deal, Purdy would be set to earn $1.1 million in base salary plus $19,252 prorated from his guaranteed salary. That is a highly unlikely scenario.
The 49ers have $45 million in salary cap space for 2024 after giving two of Purdy's key supporting assets — left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk — pleasing new contracts. They are projected to end up with more than $50 million available under the cap for 2025, which has them well positioned to take care of Purdy early.
Brock Purdy contract projection
Purdy won't clear Patrick Mahomes' contract length at 10 years, but he can hit the key parameters for average annual salary and guaranteed money with his new pact.
Dak Prescott reset the market on Sunday, garnering an annual average value of $60 million on his four-year, $240 million deal. Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence all all tied for next best, averaging $55 million a season on their recent new deals. Burrow and Lawrence, the respective No. 1 overall draft picks in 2020 and 2021, are also tied for second with a total contract value of $275 million, significantly behind Mahomes' $450 million longer-term mark.
Burrow, Love, Lawrence, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Kyler Murray all got five-year extensions. Prescott's and Tua Tagovailoa's deal with the Dolphins was for four years.
In terms of total guaranteed money, Prescott got $231 million of his $240 million deal guaranteed, and Deshaun Watson got all of his $230 million over five years locked in by the Browns. Then comes Burrow at $219 million and Herbert at $218.738 million. The only other QB in the $200 million club is Lawrence, and that's also his exact guaranteed number.
Purdy is now set up to be league's highest-paid QB (and player) as early as January.
Purdy has been to a Super Bowl like Burrow, and one more durable, elite season will say he deserves a massive spike to make up for his playing for the 49ers on the absolute cheap. Aiyuk got four years, but other 49ers stars such as Nick Bosa and Fred Warner all agreed to five-year contracts in their mid-20s prime.
That points Purdy to having a floor of a five-year, $280 million contract that allows him to average at least $56 million per season. After Prescott's $60MM AAV, that number could easily bump up to five years at more than $300 million. Based more on Burrow and Lawrence than Prescott, Purdy should get 70-80 percent of his contract guaranteed. That would put Purdy at around $220-$225 million guaranteed, or just more than Burrow.
Because of his unique draft status in relation to his excellent play, Purdy is line to see about 60 times what he's making now in a season, or a ridiculous but worthy unprecedented raise.
