When it comes to stirring up NFL fan bases, few duos do it better than Mike Florio and Chris Simms on Pro Football Talk Live. Over the years, they've drawn plenty of ire from San Francisco 49ers fans for their bold and often controversial takes.
Their latest 49ers-related discussion centered around comments made by Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, who questioned whether quarterback Brock Purdy was worthy of a contract extension exceeding $50 million annually. In fact, Nacua suggested that Purdy will land a deal in the mid-$40 million range—realistically, an unlikely outcome of the negotiations.
RELATED Report: Brock Purdy joins 49ers for start of offseason program; George Kittle does not
"They have a chance to still be in their window," Nacua said. "And I think if he goes for [an annual salary starting with] a five, that the window closes."
Earlier this month, 49ers owner Jed York stated that he believes Purdy is a top-10 quarterback in the NFL, a claim Simms firmly rejects.
"Nobody looks at Brock Purdy and thinks he's a top-10 quarterback in football," Simms told Florio. "Nobody. With Shanahan as his [offensive coordinator] and the Forty-Niner all-star team around the last few years, yeah, he can look pretty damn good. He can look top-10-ish.
"But we just saw last year, when the Forty-Niner all-star team fell apart and got injured, [they went] 6-11, and we're talking about we're going to pay over $50 million a year, and that's what it seems like?"
Simms acknowledged the 49ers are in a tough spot. Purdy is a quarterback who thrives in their system, but may not be a true top-tier talent.
"But it's a tough situation, and yeah, I would not want to see them pay more than $45 million a year either, if I was running the team or had a say in it," Simms added.
While The Athletic's Dianna Russini disputed an earlier report stating the 49ers' opening offer to Purdy was $45 million annually, calling the notion "disrespectful," Florio argued that $45 million seems reasonable for the 25-year-old quarterback.
Florio predicted that Purdy will eventually receive a contract with a headline-grabbing average per year (APY), but that it will likely be structured in a team-friendly way, minimizing the long-term financial commitment.
Simms took it a step further, suggesting the 49ers may want to at least consider trading Purdy if they can't reach a mutually beneficial deal. Of course, that would be difficult to envision now, after San Francisco offloaded several key contributors this offseason and trimmed future spending in preparation for paying their quarterback.
"Would the Steelers want Brock Purdy as their quarterback? Would they want him?" Simms asked. "Would they want to do it? Listen, it might be too late in the game to make a move like that for the 49ers now, but damn, if I had something to say about it, I would have been like, 'Let's just blow this thing up. Let's trade him away to somebody, and let's get somebody else at quarterback for the future and build this team again.' That's what I would want to do."