With the San Francisco 49ers unlikely to make the playoffs this season, attention has already turned to the offseason, where quarterback Brock Purdy's contract status will undoubtedly be a key storyline.
The 49ers can begin extension talks with Purdy, their third-year signal-caller, after Week 18. Until the two sides reach an agreement, debates about his value will dominate the offseason chatter.
Some believe Purdy could become one of the NFL's highest-paid players, potentially resetting the market with a deal surpassing Dak Prescott's $60 million annual average. Others argue that his performance this season proves he hasn't earned such a massive payday.
On Thursday, Purdy's teammate, tight end George Kittle, addressed the growing debate, explaining why his quarterback deserves a top-tier contract.
"Well, the good thing for me is that I don't have to do this contract," Kittle said before practice. "That's not on me, and that's on the organization and the guys on the other side of the aisle. But you know what? I think Brock's done nothing but play at a very, very high level.
"And the nice thing about contracts is, when you play at a high level, you can compare yourself to other people in the league. And when other guys are getting paid $50-60 million, and you know you're a better quarterback than they are, it's hard not to get that same amount of money."
Purdy has been one of the NFL's biggest bargains, earning less than $1 million annually on his rookie deal. The 49ers have been Super Bowl contenders with Purdy under center—until this year's injury-plagued campaign.
"And I don't know what Brock's going to do," Kittle added. "I think the Niners are going to figure something out to be as team-friendly as you possibly can but still reward him for the things that he has done, and the things that he's going to continue to do for this organization."
At just 24 years old, Kittle noted that Purdy has already displayed significant growth and maturity. The tight end believes those traits will only strengthen over time.
"So I just think he's going to continue to get better and better, and each year, you're just going to see a better version of Brock," Kittle said. "And the more mature he gets, I think the more vocal he'll be as a leader and stuff like that, too. And I think he does a good job of that already. And I think he's taken a step forward in that this year, specifically, but I think next year, too, he's just going to come back and be even more of a vocal leader for us."