San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch noted some "big things" that were coming when he spoke to reporters at Stanford's pro day last week. There is no bigger thing on the offseason agenda than contract talks with quarterback Brock Purdy, as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
It seems to be a matter of time before Purdy and the Niners get a deal done. The signing of Mac Jones to a two-year deal to be the backup is interesting, though, given head coach Kyle Shanahan's past affinity for the quarterback, but Jones does not seem to be a serious threat to take Purdy's job.
People who cover the 49ers think the Jones' signing gives the team a little more leverage in contract talks with Purdy, or there should be an open competition for the starting job.
Purdy's contract extension, with all the related tentacles (when?, how much per year?), is a top topic of NFL conversation right now.
On Friday's episode of Pro Football Talk Live, analysts Mike Florio and Michael Holley discussed San Francisco's quarterback situation with the hypothetical of paying Purdy $60 million per year as the launching point.
Mike Florio thinks Mac Jones is coming for Brock Purdy's job
Florio dove into a Jones' angle:
"I've heard enough about Mac Jones over the years, and I've seen enough from Mac Jones," Florio said. "He is not going to show up and bow down to Brock Purdy. He's going to go in there with the mindset of, 'I can win this job. I was the 15th pick in the draft in the draft. This guy was the last guy taken. This guy, right place at the right time, running Kyle Shanahan's offense.' That's all you have to do. You listen to Kyle, you do what Kyle wants, and you're going to play well."
Provocative.
"That's going to be Mac Jones' attitude. He's going to go in there, regardless of whether or not it works," Florio continued... "not with the idea that I support Brock Purdy. No, I'm trying to beat Brock Purdy out, and I want to give the 49ers something to think about."
Holley spent considerable time covering the New England Patriots where Jones started his career, and he added a layer to the conversation about the 49ers' new quarterback.
"He is an impressive football mind when he's talking, but when he plays, it's not pretty," Holley said of Jones. "He just does things that are just head-scratching, and he will drive Kyle Shanahan crazy. He will make him crazy. So he's not going to beat out Brock Purdy. If he does beat out Brock Purdy, it's going to be for a game or two, and then Purdy will go right back in there and take the job back because I don't think he's capable of maintaining it at a starter's level. He's a cameo guy, but I don't think he's a starter anymore."
Florio clarified he's not saying Jones is better than Purdy, just that Jones will come in with eyes on beating Purdy out for the starting job.
There's definitely something to that, even if Jones overestimates his ability and/or how much of a shot he'll actually have to win the job. Florio also noted how the 49ers have invited Jones thinking he can win the job, while inviting the idea they might not want to fully pony up to pay Purdy.
Until a contract extension is done with Purdy, thoughts and speculation about what the addition of Jones means will continue.
Read more from Niner Noise
feed