San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy recently expressed his desire to finalize a contract extension quickly to avoid offseason distractions. However, all of that is in the hands of his agent and the 49ers, with previous standoffs a reminder of how these talks can stretch into the offseason.
"I'm not the kind of guy that wants to have any kind of drama associated with anything," Purdy told reporters on Monday. "I'm here for this organization, for my teammates in the locker room, and I want to be very professional about it."
Purdy has been a valuable bargain since being drafted last overall in 2022. His minimal rookie contract has allowed the 49ers to focus on other positions, surrounding him with playmakers.
However, securing a larger deal for Purdy could limit the team's flexibility to make further significant roster moves. Most expect Purdy to join the ranks of the NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks.
"That's the nature of the sport—with a lot of sports, really," Purdy noted. "Everybody's under a contract. It's a business. Some guys may get it done early, some guys may not. More than anything, for me, I want to be able to handle business the right way, and do it in a respectable manner, and get back to my team as fast as I can, to get going, to get better, to grow together."
When asked about the possibility of missing organized team activities or minicamps if negotiations drag on, Purdy said, "I'm not really sure, as of now. But like I said before, I want to get back to work as soon as I can with the guys, so hopefully, something would get done sooner rather than later."
Though likely just reflecting his eagerness to return, Purdy's words sparked speculation that he might hold out if a deal isn't reached quickly. Fans are familiar with lengthy contract disputes, having recently seen similar situations with players like Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams.
Purdy, however, has consistently shown a team-first mentality, leading to questions about whether he would leverage a holdout as a negotiation tactic. Some also wonder if Purdy would demand top dollar, knowing the challenges of maintaining a competitive roster with one player eating up a massive portion of the salary cap.
Obviously, Purdy wants the negotiations to go smoothly so he can put the situation behind him and get back to work with his teammates as the 49ers aim to rebound from a disappointing 2024 campaign.
"That's my mindset, my focus, and obviously, I want to help the team across the board with all the other guys who need to get their deals done," Purdy said. "But everybody will handle it the right way and how they need to. Like I said, it's a business, but everybody has their turn and their part with all of it. So yeah, we'll see."
Purdy added, "I want to be in San Francisco and play my football career here. I love it here, and I want to do whatever it takes to be here."