Few genuinely believe that negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy will break down to the point where a trade becomes necessary. It's only April, and a contract extension isn't expected to be finalized until after the 2025 NFL Draft. However, general manager John Lynch recently suggested that it wouldn't be too optimistic to think a deal could be struck even sooner—possibly before the team's offseason program begins on April 22.
"I don't think it's too optimistic (to get it done by then)," Lynch said last week. "I think I understand why Brock wants that. We'd like that very much, so we've just got to find that right place for both sides, and I would love nothing more than for that to be the case."
Despite the optimism, one former NFL defensive lineman and current ESPN analyst floated a shocking trade proposal—the 49ers sending Purdy to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for star pass rusher T.J. Watt.
"Using T.J. Watt as a way to be able to pry Brock Purdy from San Francisco," Canty said on ESPN Radio's UnSportsmanLike, per Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area. "The 49ers gutted at defense, being able to add some help for Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. T.J. Watt, in that group, [Robert] Saleh, now back there as the defensive coordinator."
Like the 49ers and Purdy, Watt and the Steelers are engaged in contract extension talks. However, the latter negotiations appear to be far more contentious.
Strengthening the pass rush is one of San Francisco's top priorities heading into the draft. The team is expected to use an early pick—and likely multiple picks—to rebuild its defensive line after parting ways with Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd.
Still, trading Purdy would leave the 49ers with Mac Jones and Tanner Mordecai as their only quarterbacks, creating a much more immediate and critical void under center.
"[The 49ers] got the 11th overall pick, so they can presumably draft a quarterback if they don't have to give up that pick in the trade," Canty added. "I don't know how the 49ers say no to that."
It might be quite easy for the 49ers to say no to such a far-fetched hypothetical. San Francisco is in the middle of a salary-cap reset, offloading future spending this offseason in preparation to make Purdy the highest-paid player in franchise history—and likely one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. Reversing course now, after letting go of several key players to make room for Purdy's future deal, would be puzzling.
Additionally, starting over at quarterback and trying to identify a long-term solution again would not be ideal. The 49ers tried that in 2021, trading away significant draft capital to move up for Trey Lance. That gamble was nearly disastrous for the organization and could have cost Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan their jobs—had they not struck gold with Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Canty's ESPN colleague Damien Woody didn't hold back his reaction to the proposed trade, calling it "disrespectful." While acknowledging that Purdy may not be in the elite tier with quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson, Woody firmly believes Purdy is at least in the second tier of passers and that the 49ers have their answer at the position.
"He's a guy you can win a championship within this league," Woody said on ESPN's First Take, again, per Rodriguez. "There's no question about it. Do those guys grow on trees? Do those types of quarterbacks grow on trees? They do not. Why in the world would the San Francisco 49ers, who, by the way, have been unloading guys on their roster because they know they have to pay the quarterback, why would you make that trade? It makes absolutely no sense."