Not getting a contract done and potentially missing their quarterback for the start of training camp pales in comparison to the damage any typical contract hang-ups might cause. Signing Purdy for a less-favorable contract in March will help far more than signing him to a more-favorable contract in August.

Purdy, 25, signed a four-year rookie contract with an average annual salary of $934,252 after being drafted with the last pick (No. 262) of the 2022 NFL draft. He is now eligible for an extension.

Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers’ brass have a similar mindset regarding one of the biggest offseason questions around the organization.

What San Francisco can’t afford to do is ignore the position given what happened at the end of the 2024 season when Purdy took a helmet to the elbow in Week 17 and had to miss the season finale. After nearly two full seasons of healthy QB play it became easy to forget the injury-driven tumult that under center that preceded Purdy.

As the 49ers think about their future at the quarterback position, signing Brock Purdy to a long-term contract has become a must.

San Francisco is in the process of remodeling its coaching staff, while the Niners will in a couple of months have to navigate the challenges of free agency amid a backdrop of contract negotiations with Brock Purdy that may come to define the next few years.