The San Francisco 49ers missed out on the playoffs last season and had a bit of overhaul. They traded away wide receiver Deebo Samuel, brought back Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator, and watched the likes of edge rusher Leonard Floyd, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and safety Talanoa Hufanga leave in free agency.
Yet, the NFC West is still theirs for the taking.
San Francisco has a chance to make an early statement as it takes on the Seattle Seahawks on the road for Week 1. Yes, the pressure is on everyone on the 49ers coaching staff and roster to ensure they get the early season victory.
But no one on the Niners is facing more pressure than quarterback Brock Purdy.
Brock Purdy dealing with the most pressure entering Week 1 vs. Seahawks
Of course, the most pressure on a football teams falls at the feet of the quarterback. But for Purdy, he is going to deal with even more pressure due in part to his contract.
Purdy was a fan favorite and a savior for the 49ers. The former "Mr. Irrelevant" stepped up as a rookie in 2022 with all of the injuries to the quarterback room and helped lead the team to the NFC Championship game. The following year, Purdy helped the team reach Super Bowl 58, where they fell in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.
But that was all when Purdy was under his rookie contract.
The expectations rise when he gets his first high-paying contract. Sure enough, this offseason, Purdy and the Niners agreed to terms on a five-year, $265 million contract extension. At $53 million per year, Purdy is tied for the seventh-highest paid quarterback in the league, alongside Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions.
That's just what it costs for a franchise quarterback now. Because of this, they are held to a higher standard, and anything less than a great game is going to be ridiculed heavily.
For the 49ers, their wide receiver room was decimated. Brandon Aiyuk is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and will miss the first four games at minimum. Jauan Jennings missed most of the offseason due to an injury and a desire for a new contract. At one point in camp, things were so dire that the 49ers traded for Chiefs draft bust Skyy Moore for depth. And just before the Seahawks game, the team reportedly promoted Marquez Valdes-Scantling from their practice squad.
Even with a less-than-stellar receiving room, Purdy still needs to have a good game, especially against a division rival.
That's because of his high-paying contract.