Brock Purdy is starting to feel like the heir apparent to Joe Flacco in the age old internet debate about whether a certain quarterback is "elite." Purdy, who was taken with the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has already led the San Francisco 49ers to two conference championship games and a Super Bowl and is in line for a massive new contract.
But how much of the Niners' success can be attributed to Purdy? How much money does he really deserve? Will the 49ers give him $50 million—or even $60 million—a year? Should they?
Chris Simms says no.
“The thing that I think you and I have been saying. We’re going to continue to say… is that the league… nobody looks at Brock Purdy and thinks he’s a top-10 quarterback in football," Simms said to Florio. "Nobody. Yeah with Shanahan as his OC and the 49er All-Star team around him the last few years, yeah he can look pretty damn good. He can look top-10ish. But we just saw last year when the 49er All-Star team fell apart and got injured… 6 and 11? And we’re talking we’re going to pay you over $50 million a year? And that’s what it seems like. So that’s just I think, ya know, yeah the 49ers are in a tough spot in their organization. They do have a quarterback. He is their franchise guy, but I don’t think he’s worth being paid one of the top 10 quarterbacks in football. But they got a guy and they believe in him so I don’t know what to say and I’m not mad at them for that either. It’s a tough situation and I would not want to see them pay over 45 million a year either if I was running the team or had some say in it.”
Simms is not alone in this thinking. In a recent survey of NFL sources by , many were complimentary of Purdy, but only one would give him the extension he wants.
The two sides are reportedly working towards a deal, but it's unclear just how close the two sides actually are. Whatever happens, there will be people who disagree and the debate over his eliteness will continue.
