NFL insider details why Brock Purdy was not targeted by QB-needy teams before massive $265,000,000 contract extension

On May 16, San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy signed a contract extension that made him the seventh highest paid QB in the NFL in average annual value. Since the signing, some analysts and fans have outlined how they believe that the contract was too much money.

In a recent media appearance on 'Unsportsmanlike Radio' by ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, it was announced that Purdy originally wanted to be the highest paid QB in the entire league, but settled on the $53 million per year.

"Brock Purdy's initial ask was $65 million per year, which would have made him the highest paid quarterback on annual average value by 5 million per year. My obvious estimation, guesstimation, is the Niners said, 'no', because they landed at 53. The follow up to that is at no point between 65 and 53 did a single team call and say, 'Can we get this guy?' Not the Steelers, not the Giants, not any QB-needy team looked at that situation and saw an opportunity."

In response, Schefter noted how many NFL teams around the league thought that Purdy was a great NFL QB for the San Francisco 49ers, but questioned whether he could succeed outside of that system.

"Correct. I remember talking to teams and just being like, hey, as they were trying to solve their quarterback games, any interest in Brock Purdy, they were like, 'great player, but he's a great player for them.' So they didn't see it that way. So that was the opinion of other teams."

Is Brock Purdy a system QB in San Francisco?

There seems to be a split around the NFL regarding whether Purdy is an elite level QB in the league or just an elite QB in the San Francisco system under head coach Kyle Shanahan and with a great compliment of playmakers.

The 2025 NFL season appears to be the best chance so far for fans to see whether Purdy is among the very best at the QB position in the league. WR Deebo Samuel departed to the Washington Commanders this offseason, and WR Brandon Aiyuk and RB Christian McCaffrey are coming off major injuries in 2024.

Purdy has led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance and two NFC Championship games. However, on the flip side, he has a career record of 14-2 when Samuel, McCaffrey and Trent Williams are playing, and only a record of 6-6 when one or more of them are not playing, as of October 21, 2024.

As a result, there is unquestionably more pressure on Purdy to step up and lead the franchise back to the playoffs in 2025.