by After leading the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie last season and following it up by leading them to the Super Bowl this Sunday, Brock Purdy has scoffed at being labeled “Mr. Irrelevant ” was defeated. as the 262nd – and final – pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
This past regular season the 24-year-old ranked fifth in total passing yards (4,280) – one spot higher than Super Bowl opponent Patrick Mahomes (4,183) – third in touchdowns (31 – again beating Mahomes, who had 27). ) and first in passer rating (113.0).
Purdy’s quality of play has made him one of the best in the NFL at his position. It has proven to be anything but irrelevant. But his annual salary is still on par with his low early draft pick. And that’s a huge plus for the 49ers.
Since Purdy took over the starting quarterback role in Kyle Shanahan’s offense from Jimmy Garoppolo midway through last season, the Niners have a record, including postseason play, of 21 wins and just five losses. They finished the 2023 regular season as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, with a 12-5 record.
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His total compensation for the season — salary plus bonuses — was $870,000, which tied for the lowest among all Week 1 starting quarterbacks.
Only two others – the Atlanta Falcons’ Desmond Ridder ($949,000) and the Washington Chiefs’ Sam Howell ($870,000) – also earned less than $1m for the year (we’re legally obligated to note here that $870,000 in year in almost every other aspect of life). Ridder fought with back-up Taylor Heinicke for the starting role in Atlanta through the second half of the season and is unlikely to be the Falcons’ quarterback No. 1 in 2024. And Howell is almost certain to be usurped in Washington, with the Commanders owning it. the second overall pick in this year’s draft and were said to be considering a new quarterback.
Meanwhile, Purdy ran close to Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson in the race to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Mahomes, who earned $59.4m (most of which came in signing and roster bonuses) for the 2023 regular season, had already gotten used to Purdy for the year by the time he left the field after a 21-loss -20 of the Chiefs for Detroit. Lions in Week 1.
Each win Purdy led the 49ers to this regular season cost the team $72,500. Each of his 31 touchdown passes was priced at $28,065. And every yard he ran he spent set the team back only $203.28. In contrast, Mahomes’ cost per regular season win was $5.94m (he lost their last game). His touchdown passes were $2.2m each. His passing cost the Chiefs $14,200 per yard.
Even Dak Prescott, who led the NFL in passing touchdowns, cost the Dallas Cowboys $861,111 every time he found the end zone. Tua Tagovailoa topped the league in passing yards, but at a per-yard cost to the Miami Dolphins of $1,016. Jackson, with 13, was the only quarterback to start more regular-season wins than Purdy in 2023. But, when the Baltimore star’s annual salary and large signing bonus are taken into account, his league-high $80m earnings mean every win the. Ravens $6.15m.
In a vacuum, these numbers may not mean much – the Chiefs are willing to pay Mahomes huge sums because his ridiculous talent has taken them to the Super Bowl in four of the past five seasons. But Purdy and Mahomes play in a league with a hard salary cap, which means the money the 49ers don’t Their quarterback pay can be spent on talent elsewhere.
The 49ers boast an All-League roster of players in every department. At the skill positions, they have pass-catching superstars in receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle, as well as MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey at running back. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is an eight-time Pro Bowler and Trent Williams is the best offensive lineman in the NFL. The defensive unit includes two-time Pro Bowl selection Javon Hargrave at defensive tackle and elite-level linebackers in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, while defensive end Nick Bosa is one of the most feared edge rushers in the game.
McCaffrey and Juszczyk are the highest-paid players at their respective positions, while Warner, Kittle and Williams are in the top five at their respective positions, with Samuel seventh among wide receivers and Hargrave sixth among line of defense.
If Purdy’s production is so high on such a low salary, San Francisco will be able to take an approach to squad building that shouldn’t be possible under the confines of the salary cap. Plus, with two years left on the quarterback’s current deal, it’s sustainable, ensuring that their window as a Super Bowl contender will remain wide open in the medium term, regardless of Sunday’s outcome.
Even with incremental annual salary increases, the $1.1m Purdy is slated to earn in the fourth and final season of his market is still about 5% of the NFL average for a starting quarterback.
By selecting Purdy with the last pick in the 2022 draft, the 49ers not only landed a franchise quarterback of the future but also arguably the best contract in all of sports.
