The San Francisco 49ers wanted to add quarterback Brock Purdy as an undrafted free agent last year. However, when confronted with the possibility of losing him to another team, knowing that he would be free to negotiate with anyone, general manager John Lynch and his team opted to use their last pick in the draft, the final overall pick in the selection process, to secure Purdy's services.
Purdy and the 49ers will face the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium tonight. Interestingly, the home-team Vikings were equally eager to have Purdy join their quarterback ranks last year.
"In 2022, the Vikings extended Cousins' contract and, according to multiple sources, heavily pursued a rookie quarterback from Iowa State named Brock Purdy in the final hours of the draft, hoping to sign him to a UDFA deal," wrote ESPN's Kevin Seifert and Nick Wagoner.
"Purdy told ESPN last week he was considering the 49ers, Houston Texans and Vikings if he had gone undrafted. The 49ers, however, swooped in and made Purdy the final selection of the seventh round."
Thrown into the starting lineup last year due to injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, Purdy played an instrumental role in guiding the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, earning the trust and respect of teammates and coaches alike.
Despite undergoing offseason surgery to repair a torn UCL, Purdy was always slated to be the 49ers' starting quarterback heading into this season, a testament to his standout performance as a rookie.
"Kyle Shanahan has found his Kirk Cousins," wrote Seifert and Wagoner. "Purdy, who entered Week 7 leading the NFL in Total QBR (76.9), is 12 years younger, will earn $29 million less than Cousins this season and won't be eligible for a contract extension until 2025."
So far this season, Purdy has completed 110 of 163 attempts (67.5 percent) for 1,396 yards with 10 touchdowns and an interception through six starts.
