The 49ers have faced challenges in recent years with contract negotiations, with several deals lingering through the offseason and causing unwanted distractions. NFL legend Jerry Rice believes the team must avoid this situation with Purdy.
"They need to get it done now," Rice said on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "They don't want any distractions this year. I think they learned their lesson from last year. The best thing, if you feel like Brock Purdy is the quarterback of the Niners, get it done. Don't let it linger into training camp and all of that."
However, Rice offers a word of caution. The 49ers must be absolutely certain that Purdy is their guy and that he is worthy of becoming the highest-paid player in franchise history.
"My thing is, though—you got to be sure," Rice added. "You got to be positive. You cannot make a mistake like that if you don't feel like this guy is completely what you need, because if you do that, there's no coming back from that."
While his warning is valid, Rice has confidence that Purdy is the franchise quarterback the 49ers have long sought.
"I believe, from just watching him, I believe he is the guy," Rice concluded. "He done taken us to the Super Bowl. He has taken us to the Super Bowl and done all of those things, and now, the 49ers just got to make sure they get this done before training camp."
Many expect the 49ers and Purdy's camp to finalize a deal quickly—even before the start of the offseason program—as both sides hope to avoid any drama related to offseason holdouts (or hold-ins).
ESPN's Dan Graziano recently projected that the 49ers will sign Purdy to a four-year, $196 million contract with $112 million guaranteed, making him one of the NFL's top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks. Naturally, this projection sparked significant debate on social media, with some viewing it as fair while others felt it was too high or too low.
Purdy is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Unfortunately, his 49ers finished with a 6-11 record, missing the postseason for the first time since 2020.
You can listen to Rice's entire interview below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Brock Purdy sounds confident Trent Williams will play vs. Eagles
The San Francisco 49ers were without future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams in Week 18 against the Seattle Seahawks. Williams suffered a hamstring injury on the first offensive play of the previous game against the Chicago Bears, forcing him to miss most of that contest... -
Vic Fangio: 49ers QBs Brock Purdy, Mac Jones have similar skill sets
The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing to host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in an NFC Wild Card playoff matchup. The two franchises have met just twice in the postseason, splitting those meetings with one win apiece. The 49ers enter the playoff game banged up, a familiar... -
Brock Purdy sends clear message on 49ers' mindset ahead of Eagles playoff game
The San Francisco 49ers had a chance to secure rest and home-field advantage in Week 18. A win over the Seattle Seahawks would have delivered the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. Instead, a loss in the regular-season finale sends San Francisco on the road... -
NFL insider says 49ers QB Brock Purdy's shoulder stinger "not expected to keep him out next week"
The San Francisco 49ers looked bad in their bid for the number-one seed in the NFC Saturday night, falling 13-3 to the Seattle Seahawks. But things almost got much worse when QB Brock Purdy went down late in the game. It looked bad, and there was immediate concern about whether...