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Seventy-eight. According to Spotrac.com, that's how many NFL quarterbacks earn an average salary higher than the San Francisco 49ers' second-year passer, Brock Purdy.
The team accomplished what it set out to do in 2021—build a team around a quarterback on a rookie contract. The 49ers hoped that would be Trey Lance, trading a haul of draft capital to the Miami Dolphins to move up to select the quarterback. Unfortunately, that did not work out and will likely go down as one of the worst draft trades in NFL history—a significant stain on head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's resume.
The Niners got lucky, though. Purdy fell into their laps last year. The team selected the quarterback with the last overall pick, and after injuries to Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, Purdy was thrust into the starting lineup and never surrendered the spot. Even as he recovered from offseason surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, the 49ers declared a healthy Purdy the starter for the 2023 season.
Finding a young quarterback to build around didn't happen how the Niners imagined. It will be Purdy, not Lance, moving forward. Last week, San Francisco traded Lance to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
Looking through Spotrac's average quarterback salary rankings, you have to scroll all the way down to No. 79 on the list to find Purdy, who is averaging $934,252 a season, per the salary cap site. Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert comes in at No. 1 on the list, earning $52.5 million per season.
Lance comes in at No. 25 on the list, averaging $8.5 million per season on his four-year, $34.1 million rookie contract.
Who are the lowest-ranked starting quarterbacks above Purdy on the list? Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell comes in at No. 76, averaging $1 million per season. If you see Clayton Tune as the Arizona Cardinals' starter, he is at No. 71, averaging $1.05 million. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder sits at No. 57, averaging $1.34 million.
Kenny Pickett of the Pittsburgh Steelers is at No. 42. He will face the 49ers in Week 1. Pickett, a first-round pick in last year's draft, averaged about $3.5 million a season.
If Purdy ends up working out for the 49ers, he will be an impressive bargain. The quarterback signed a four-year, $3.7 million rookie contract last year and isn't slated to hit free agency until 2026.
Watch: 49ers QB Brock Purdy throws out first pitch at Giants game
By David Bonilla
May 14
Fans had the opportunity to cheer for Brock Purdy tonight as the San Francisco 49ers quarterback threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park, preceding the Giants' game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
QB1 has arrived 🫡 pic.twitter.com/FDDdVS30p4— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 15,
Does 49ers QB Brock Purdy need Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel for success?
By David Bonilla
May 15
Rumors circulated before and during the 2024 NFL Draft about the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers losing one of their top two wide receivers—Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel. Such a scenario could have significantly impacted the team's success in the upcoming season and posed a potential blow for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has thrived alongside the dynamic duo on the field.
However, none of these speculations came to fruition. Both Aiyuk and Samuel remain on the roster, at least for another season, though their future beyond that remains uncertain.
Aiyuk is seeking a contract extension that would position him among the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. At the same time, Samuel already commands a significant salary following a deal rework in 2022.
Steve Young on keeping the 49ers competitive after paying Brock Purdy
By David Bonilla
May 16
The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up to elevate quarterback Brock Purdy to their highest-paid player status starting next year. Negotiations for a contract extension with the young signal-caller, entering his third NFL season, are on the horizon.
Purdy's on-field performance has far exceeded his current salary. Last season, he set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards and led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance while earning a base salary of $870,000. Even for the upcoming season, his salary will only bump up to $985,000. That may sound like a lot to the ordinary person, but it is only a fraction of the team's salary cap.
However, Purdy's next contract is expected to catapult him into the ranks of the NFL's highest-paid players. That title
49ers' Brock Purdy reflects on NFCCG, first start, surgery recovery, family's Tom Brady plans
By David Bonilla
May 17
On Thursday night, Brock Purdy joined several former San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks at the Dwight Clark Legacy Series event in San Jose. During the event, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, one of the moderators, asked the 24-year-old to rewind a couple of years and reflect on how he burst onto the NFL scene in 2022.
Purdy's first significant playing time came when the 49ers lost two quarterbacks that season—first Trey Lance and then Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy stepped in for Garoppolo against the Miami Dolphins, unaware that he would be the starter moving forward.
"Jimmy went down, and they're like, 'All right, you're up,'" Purdy shared. "So I'm in tune to what we're doing against Miami's defense and stuff on the sidelines. And so, when they said that I was
