Analyst believes 49ers’ Brock Purdy will become NFL’s highest-paid player

Where will Brock Purdy fall next offseason in the NFL quarterback hierarchy? It could be very high if he has another year like the one he enjoyed during the 2023 season.

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York told reporters this week that the team is preparing to compensate Purdy. The quarterback can begin negotiating a contract extension in 2025, and any deal will undoubtedly make him the team's highest-paid player.

"I think it's a good problem when your quarterback is one of your highest-paid guys on your team and in the league," York stated. "So there's a lot of planning that goes into it, but again, I'm glad that we have [EVP of football operations] Paraag [Marathe], [general manager John Lynch], [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan]. They're the ones that will figure out the details of it, and I just have to sign the check. So my part in that's pretty easy."

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Purdy is scheduled to earn a base salary of $985,000 this year, followed by $1.1 million in 2025, marking the final year of his rookie contract. After that, his salary will consume a significant portion of the team's roster spending for the foreseeable future.

"I mean, it's what the market is," York continued. "It's not like Brock is going to ask for something that no one has ever asked for before. You have, I don't know how many players making over $40 million as a quarterback right now. ... And to me, the quarterback is the most important position, not just in football, but in all sports, and those guys should be paid a lot."

One NFL player turned analyst, Willie Colon, believes Purdy will not only be the 49ers' highest-paid player, but that the young quarterback's next contract will make him the highest-paid player in the history of the NFL.

"I even jump out to say that I wouldn't show up to training camp without a deal," Colon said on FS1's The Carton Show. "The bottom line is the man has done everything you've asked him to do. He's come back, he's led teams, he went to the NFC Championship, he's battled back from injuries. He's had bad games and battled back. And you talk about a Super Bowl appearance this year that could have went either way."

Purdy might have even been the Super Bowl MVP if the 49ers had escaped overtime with a victory. He certainly proved to be a valuable part of the offense in San Francisco's two playoff games leading to the showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas.

Colon continued, "Bottom line is, if I'm Brock Purdy, pay me now, because the way guys are getting injured at this rate, I want my money fast and early."

Purdy is coming off a 2023 campaign that saw him pass for 4,280 yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 113.0 passer rating was the best in the NFL. Forty-five of his teammates are currently slated to earn a higher base salary in 2024 than Purdy.