Mike Florio's hot takes frequently spark debate among NFL fans, and his latest comments about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will probably be no exception. As the 49ers enter contract extension talks with Purdy—talks expected to make him one of the NFL's highest-paid players—questions continue to swirl about where he ranks among his quarterback peers and whether he deserves that kind of payday.
The Pro Football Talk writer isn't convinced. Florio argues that Purdy doesn't warrant top-tier money because, simply put, he doesn't see him as a top-tier quarterback.
He points to a report from Jason La Canfora, who claimed that the 49ers opened contract talks by offering Purdy $45 million annually. However, it's a report that The Athletic's Dianna Russini later refuted.
"That is false," Russini said last month. "That would be disrespectful, and that did not happen. That's not true. That's not true. That did not happen. They did not offer $45 million."
Even if that figure was floated at some point, most expect Purdy's eventual deal to fall between $50–60 million annually—standard for top quarterbacks in today's NFL. To crack the league's top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks (and players), Purdy would need to earn at least $51 million per year.
When asked if he views Purdy as a top-10 quarterback, 49ers owner Jed York recently replied, "I think he is. I think he's great."
Still, York added a notable caveat, saying, "Especially when you combine him with [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] and you combine him with what we have."
That mindset is central to Florio's argument. While Purdy had an impressive 2023 season—throwing for a franchise-record 4,280 yards while tossing 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and leading the team to a Super Bowl appearance—his production dropped in 2024 as injuries decimated his supporting cast, contributing to a 6–11 finish.
This offseason, the 49ers began slashing future spending and parting ways with key veterans, prompting critics like Florio to question whether 2024 offered a glimpse of the post-payday Purdy era—and whether he's the type of quarterback who can lift a depleted roster.
When longtime sports personality Dan Patrick was recently asked if Purdy would get better or worse, his answer was blunt.
"Worse," he responded. "Got rid of Deebo [Samuel]. I think they put themselves in salary cap hell with Brandon Aiyuk's contract—that they can't trade him. How much longer does [Trent] Williams play? George Kittle, how long does he play? [Christian] McCaffrey, how long does he play?"
Patrick added, "And then, you've got to go out and find those guys. You have to find those guys, and you also have a quarterback making $55 million a year."
Like Florio, Patrick believes that Purdy's looming contract could financially restrict the team and that Purdy isn't the type of quarterback who can consistently elevate a weakened supporting cast.
Florio also notes that the 49ers hold substantial leverage. Purdy is under contract through 2025, and the team can franchise tag him for two years after that. He questions whether Purdy would even command a top-tier salary on the open market.
"What would Purdy get on the open market? It's a fair question," Florio wrote. "And if the answer is he'd get less than whatever the 49ers seem to be preparing to pay him, why are the 49ers preparing to pay him that much money?"
To his credit, Florio acknowledges the 49ers' long search for a franchise quarterback and the high-profile whiff on Trey Lance, costing the team significant draft capital. In that sense, Purdy holds some leverage—the team has no desire to restart that search. Adding Mac Jones to the depth chart likely won't change the team's long-term plans.
The 49ers have repeatedly emphasized that Purdy is their guy, with York adding, "He's a heck of a quarterback, and we want him to be here for a long, long time."
Florio, however, places Purdy closer to the top 15 quarterbacks than the top 10, and this offseason's roster decisions by the 49ers could dip him into the top-20 range.
"We firmly believe the best players should be paid the most money," Florio wrote. "[Patrick] Mahomes. Josh Allen. Lamar Jackson. Joe Burrow. We also don't believe Purdy is in that conversation yet—and that he might never be."