Insider makes case for what Brock Purdy could seek in new contract from 49ers

Everything the San Francisco 49ers have done this offseason has seemed centered around one significant thing. The window of time where quarterback Brock Purdy is a remarkable bargain is over, as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract and is due for a new deal likely just below the absolute top of the quarterback market.

So the debate is here about Purdy and what his next contract should look like.

There is little doubt the Niners intend to pay him a market-value contract extension. But is there a line somewhere where things could get contentious in negotiations? Is it a per-year average mark? A number of years? Would Purdy take a little less per year than he could reasonably ask for?

The 49ers are typically in no rush to get big contract extensions done, and it is only March. Purdy does not seem likely to hold out if a deal isn't done by Day 1 of training camp. So there is time to get it done, even if it won't stop all sorts of speculation about the situation the longer things go without a new deal in place.

Anyone can read the general tea leaves about the quarterback market, and put Purdy where they think he should be on that scale. So whenever perspectives that could be informed come, they can stand out.

NFL insider points to what Brock Purdy could ask for in new contract

On Thursday night's episode of The Insiders, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network had a lot to say about Purdy and his looming contract extension.

"John Lynch knows what’s coming and it’s that Brock Purdy deal that at some point is going to happen this offseason," Garofolo said. "I know he was the last pick in the draft, you may have heard about it. I know that it’s a system that people think, 'oh you just plug a quarterback in and he runs the system.' Oh really? Because they tried to do that with a bunch of guys and it didn’t work as well as it has with Brock Purdy."

Garafolo then pointed toward some potential financial landmarks Purdy could seek.

"So, Purdy is going to look at this and say, 'I need to be paid like one of the top quarterbacks in the league,' Garafolo said. "Now, if you go back over the last five years or so, you see the quarterback deals that were done. The average per year is usually anywhere from like 21 to 25 percent-ish of the salary cap. If it’s on the low end of that, he’s going to clear guys like Trevor Lawrence. Now, he’s not going to get to Dak Prescott’s number of $60 [million per year], but he’ll be in the high 50s."

Yikes.

"If he really wanted to push into Joe Burrow, who took the biggest chunk of the salary cap, that’s like $68 million per year,” Garofolo continued. "I don’t get the sense that Brock Purdy wants to go there because that's going to hurt the team’s ability to do other things like we were just talking about, but he wants his respect and he wants money that’s like in with those other quarterbacks. So, I don’t see this getting done until the 49ers and Brock Purdy agree on a number that’s close to Dak Prescott, not all the way there, but close to Dak Prescott. Purdy saying, 'That's fair,' but it also still gives the team and John Lynch the opportunity to do things elsewhere on the roster."

Garafolo did not report anything here. But he very well could have information to give him extra insight into the Purdy contract situation, which adds a noteworthy layer to the general conversation that'll be out there until the deal is done.

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