The San Francisco 49ers had a turbulent offseason in terms of contracts.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s quest for a contract extension lasted until August 29. Left tackle Trent Williams’ quest for a new contract lasted until September 3. It remains to be seen if the lengthy negotiations will impact the two All-Pros this season, but their contract issues provided a blueprint they simply cannot implement next offseason with quarterback Brock Purdy.
There is some good news for San Francisco in this regard.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott agreed to a massive contract extension on Sunday, just before the start of Week 1. His deal runs for four years and is worth up to $240 million, of which $231 million is guaranteed.
Prescott’s guaranteed salary of $231 million would be the most ever for an NFL player. His average annual value of $60 million is also the highest ever.
This sets a clear line for the 49ers when negotiating with Purdy. There is no market to worry about like there was with wide receivers, where things changed dramatically over the course of the offseason. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa and Prescott were the next two big QB contracts before Purdy and both are done.
San Francisco’s front office now has a full season to prepare a competitive offer for Purdy. They know where the bar is, and it makes sense that Purdy would demand as much or more than Prescott, considering the 49ers’ playmaker has four playoff wins in two seasons — that’s two more than Prescott has in eight seasons. Purdy has also played in two NFC title games and one Super Bowl in two seasons. Prescott has never played in an NFC title game.
The 49ers’ business model of holding off on big contracts until training camp cannot be the way to go with their franchise QB. Purdy is eligible to sign an extension once Week 18 of the 2024 season ends. That’s when the 49ers should get on the phone with the QB’s representative to begin negotiations, and they should start those negotiations ready to raise their offer quickly.
Prescott gave a clear idea of Purdy’s value. The 49ers just need to stick to it to avoid further lengthy contract negotiations with one of their most important players.
