Some members of the NFL community continue to suggest that the San Francisco 49ers could trade quarterback Brock Purdy this offseason and target veteran quarterbacks Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers as a temporary option at the position.
However, Bleacher Report’s Scott Polacek noted that NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic said on the latest edition of the “Scoop City” podcast that the 49ers “are committed to making Brock Purdy work” with the final pick of the 2022 draft eligible to sign a contract extension following the ongoing campaign. He is under contract through next season on an inexpensive deal but reportedly could make over $60M per year via his subsequent agreement.
Analysts and executives warned the 49ers against making a financial commitment to Purdy after he could not overcome his team’s injury crisis and guide what became a 6-9 club to a playoff berth. According to Pro Football Reference, Purdy began Tuesday ranked 11th in the NFL among qualified players with a 65.2 adjusted QBR and 15th with a 94.4 passer rating for the season. He has tossed 17 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions over 14 games.
Meanwhile, Cousins has lost the Atlanta starting job to first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. He could sign a team-friendly contract with a different club, assuming he becomes available when the new league year opens in March. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan served as Cousins’ offensive coordinator with Washington from 2012 through the 2013 season, and some thought as recently as last winter that Shanahan could view Cousins as an upgrade.
As for Rodgers, Shanahan reportedly had some interest in acquiring the future Hall of Famer back in the spring of 2021. Jets owner Woody Johnson seems ready to move on from Rodgers as part of starting over with a new regime, and a story from last week linked the 41-year-old with the Niners.
During the “Scoop City” episode, Russini acknowledged that the situation involving Purdy and the 49ers could “change” over the next couple of months. That said, there remains no public indication that general manager John Lynch is concerned about signing Purdy to a multiyear contract.
