HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 25: Brock Purdy #14 of the San Francisco 49ers in action against the Houston Texans during a preseason game at NRG Stadium on August 25, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
When you’re in your second year after being the last player taken in the NFL draft, you anticipate spending a couple of years at the bottom of the NFL payroll food chain. That is where 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who was selected No. 262 in the 2022 draft, currently resides, earning a cool $985K in 2023.
That puts you in close proximity to Ben DiNucci, Ian Book, and Sam Ehrlinger. There is no denying that Purdy is underpaid. It’s amazing to consider that his cap hit is currently 67th among all NFL quarterbacks.
However, the league has a programme in place to help balance this disparity—to some extent. The performance-based pay programme awarded about $400 million in incentives this year, and while the majority of the top awards went to underappreciated offensive linemen, Purdy was 24th on the list, with $739,765 to his credit, according to the league.
Purdy, without a doubt, deserves the extra compensation after leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his first full season as a starter. He not only led the team to the edge of a Super Bowl win, but he also earned Pro Bowl honours, establishing probably the finest quarterback numbers in the NFL.
Purdy led the club to a 12-4 record during the regular season, sitting out Week 18 to relax and prepare for the postseason. Purdy set a franchise record for passing yards with 4,280 and threw 31 touchdowns last year, becoming the first 49ers quarterback since Jeff Garcia in 2001 to reach 30 touchdowns in one season.
Purdy had the NFL’s highest quarterback rating (113.0), QBR (72.8), yards per reception (13.9), and touchdown percentage (7.0%).
He was by far the most efficient quarterback in the NFL last year. Nonetheless, he was repeatedly chastised for being a so-called “system” quarterback, implying that Purdy was not a particularly good quarterback, but rather someone who can thrive in coach Kyle Shanahan’s innovative offence and by utilising the team’s high-level talent at the skill positions.
