The 49ers' hopes of signing Brock Purdy to a long-term contract extension in 2025 likely became significantly more expensive Thursday after fellow quarterback Trevor Lawrence's reported agreement with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, reportedly came to terms with the Jaguars on a five-year, $275 million extension with $200 million guaranteed, and joins Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as the NFL's two highest-paid players with an average salary of $55 million per year.
Prior to Lawrence's new deal, some believed Purdy would receive an offer in the $40 million-per-year range, but the market now has gone up, and the Iowa State product should have a significant amount of leverage when he is eligible to sign a contract extension after the 2024 season.
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Purdy has one fewer year of NFL experience than Lawrence but is much more accomplished.
The 49ers quarterback has a 17-4 regular-season record and is 4-2 in the playoffs, and he earned Pro Bowl honors in just his second NFL season. He also ranked at the top of several league metrics in 2023, including yards per attempt (9.6), yards per completion (13.9) and passer rating (113.0).
Lawrence has a 20-30 regular-season record and is 1-1 in the playoffs, and received one Pro Bowl nod. His only league-leading stat during his three-year pro career occurred during his rookie season when he threw an NFL-high 17 interceptions.
Lawrence's lack of success is part of what will make negotiations between Purdy’s reps and the 49ers even more challenging, considering the two-year pro just led San Francisco to the Super Bowl.
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Of the NFL's 10 highest-paid quarterbacks, Lawrence is one of only three with a losing record. The other two are Los Angeles Chargers star Justin Herbert (30-32), who signed a four-year, $262.5 million extension with an average salary of $52.5 million per year in 2023, and Arizona Cardinals starter Kyler Murray (28-36), who landed a five-year, $230.5 million extension in 2022, with a $46.1 million average yearly salary.
The remaining seven QBs own winning records and significant playoff experience, like Purdy. If the No. 262 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has a comparable 2024 season, the 49ers will have no choice but to pull out their checkbook.
What the 49ers will need to pay Purdy likely will end up being a record-breaking deal with an average yearly salary over $50 million per year, putting him with Burrow, the Detroit Lions' Jared Goff ($53 million per year), Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson ($52 million per year), Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts ($51 million per year) and now Lawrence.
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