Jed York says it’s a good problem when your QB in one of your highest-paid players

York says the market will tell the 49ers what to pay Brock Purdy

One reason why it makes little sense for the San Francisco 49ers to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is because of the chemistry he has with quarterback Brock Purdy. That duo was one of the most efficient and explosive in the NFL during the 2023 regular season.

The Niners will need to pay Aiyuk at some point this offseason. They’re a year away from paying their quarterback. The 49ers have used Purdy’s rookie contract to their advantage. They’ve extended their best players and made them one of if not the highest paid players at their positions. But this is the final year that Purdy will be making less than a million in base salary. Whether it’s Purdy or another quarterback, the front office will be forced to open their checkbook in 2025 and beyond.

49ers CEO Jed York spoke at the league meetings on Tuesday about the team’s QB situation. York said, “I think it’s a good problem when your quarterback is one of your highest-paid guys on your team and in the league.”

Quarterback is the ultimate equalizer. It’s why the Los Angeles Rams made the playoffs. That’s how the Green Bay Packers made a run in the second half of the season. And will be the reason the Detroit Lions remain on the cusp of winning.

The 49ers will let the market tell them what to pay Brock, according to York:

“It’s not hard. I mean, it’s what the market is. It’s not like Brock is going to ask for something that no one has ever asked for before. You have, I don’t know how many players making over $40 million as a quarterback right now. And when we signed Jimmy [Garoppolo] several years ago, it was the largest deal in the history of the NFL for three minutes. But we were paying Jimmy 26 or 27, and you see the market has just changed. And whether I like it or not, that’s what the market is, and you have to accept the reality of the world. And to me, the quarterback is the most important position, not just in football, but in all sports, and those guys should be paid a lot.”

Discussing Purdy’s potential contract today is pointless. Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love, and Goff are all set to become free agents in 2025. The 49ers could get out ahead of those deals and pay Purdy, but as York said, Brock doesn’t strike you as the type of player who will ask to be the highest-paid player at his position.

This next season will be fascinating. The 49ers are expected to win the majority of their games, as they have every year under Kyle Shanahan. How much credit will Purdy get for the Niners’ success? And how close will his guaranteed numbers look to those of first-rounders like Lawrence and Love? That’s what I’m interested in seeing once Purdy has a new deal.

As Shanahan said below, the pressure is always on the QB:

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