San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's new contract is unlikely to top Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott's record deal of $60 million per year (four years, $240 million), per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports.

"Earlier in the 2024 season, it seemed possible that Purdy could surpass Dak Prescott's $60 million annual clip with the Cowboys if he had another stellar campaign and deep playoff run," Schultz wrote. "While that now seems less likely, multiple sources insist that Purdy could still land 'anywhere from $50-$55 million, or potentially more.'"

Purdy is entering the fourth and final season of his rookie deal. Last season, he completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

While Purdy likely won't be resetting the market with his new deal, it's clear that his future resides in the Bay Area. Schultz provided more information.

"There's no doubt who the 49ers' quarterback of the future is: Brock Purdy," Schultz stated.

"While sources don't believe a contract extension is imminent, FOX Sports has learned that both sides are actively negotiating with the intent to finalize a deal before the 2025 season."

Last year was a down season for Purdy, but the same could be said about the rest of the 49ers, who couldn't overcome a host of injuries and fell to last in the NFC West.

This season, Purdy gets back two invaluable offensive skill players in running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who were held to a combined 11 games due to injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams was also held to 10 games due to an ankle injury.

In 2023, Purdy nearly led the 49ers to a Super Bowl win before they fell 25-22 to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.

He enjoyed a great season overall, though, finishing fourth in NFL MVP honors after leading the NFL in quarterback rating, QBR and yards per attempt while throwing for 31 touchdowns (11 interceptions) and 4,280 yards.

The 49ers hope Purdy can find that form again, and it looks like he'll get that chance this season and beyond.

Veteran quarterback Mac Jones prioritized the right situation when he signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

"Going into my first free agency this year, so I really wanted to make a great pick," he said in an interview with the team's media. "Obviously this was a spot I felt comfortable. Feel like there's a lot of good people here, a lot of winners. Really just wanted to surround myself with winners."

Jones, who has played for a pair of legendary head coaches in Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, said he's excited to work with Kyle Shanahan given the head coach's reputation.

In terms of recent success, San Francisco certainly qualifies as a winning organization. Between 2019 and 2023, the franchise twice reached the Super Bowl and was an NFC title game finalist on another two occasions.

Jones is joining the 49ers at a time when their fortunes are on the wane, though. They won six games in 2024 and they've lost a number of starters from last season's squad.

It's too early to call this an outright rebuild. There are still a number of veteran leaders on the roster including quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, offensive tackle Trent Williams and edge-rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner.

However, general manager John Lynch appears to be hitting the reset button to allow for a better long-term financial outlook. San Francisco could wind up in the middle of the pack in the NFC, not much better than its 6-11 finish this past year.

Jones knows he has no path to the starting job as long as Purdy is healthy. When it comes to being on a playoff team for the second time in his career, he may have no guarantees about that, either.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch is bullish on the franchise's long-term outlook after having lost multiple starters from the 2024 squad this offseason.

"The bottom line is you're always looking at years out (from now)," Lynch told reporters Wednesday at Stanford's pro day. "And we forecast it, and we've got some big things coming our way. And you have to clear the requisite room to be able to do that. And you don't want to get to a point where you have to do things to keep your roster afloat. You want to have that flexibility."

When the Niners slumped to a 6-11 finish this past year, there was a sense their competitive window was closing for a little bit. San Francisco had an aging, expensive roster, and the outlook was complicated by the fact quarterback Brock Purdy is entering the last year of his contract.

Fans may not have expected the exodus to be this big, though.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel got traded to the Washington Commanders. Safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw signed with the Denver Broncos. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and edge-rusher Leonard Floyd were cut. And the list goes on.

It's easy to see the overall vision.

The 49ers have 11 total draft picks this spring, including six in the first four rounds. Even factoring in a new deal for Purdy, they'll have some breathing room financially in 2026 and will be in a position to spend on impact free agents.

Fans are accustomed to seeing rebuilds unfold over multiple years in the NBA or MLB. If executed properly, the process can unfold much faster in the NFL.

The Detroit Lions won three games in 2021 and advanced to the NFC title game in 2023. The Houston Texans rode their 2023 draft class to a seven-win improvement that year. The Los Angeles Rams had a down year after winning the Super Bowl but found themselves winning 10 games and making the postseason in successive campaigns.

Granted, San Francisco's last few drafts will have the fanbase reasonably asking whether Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan can assemble a contender from the ground up again.

Missing the playoffs in 2025 won't be a disaster for the Niners under the right circumstances. The youth movement at least needs to show some promising signs. Without that, the criticism toward Lynch will be hitting a fever pitch.

Even though the San Francisco 49ers finally got Mac Jones four years after they were rumored to be strongly interested in him leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, there's not a lot of hope around the league that he will experience a career resurrection in the Bay Area.

One NFL executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando they are "not as optimistic" about Jones reviving his career in the way someone like Sam Darnold did when he was a backup in San Francisco.

"I’m not as optimistic because he has less of an arm, and he’s a lesser athlete," the exec said. "I can see how Jimmy Garoppolo had success there because he’s quick with the ball. Mac Jones is a little bit lesser of a player than those guys, in my opinion, but it could still help him going there."

Few head coaches in the NFL are as good at maximizing their quarterbacks and putting them in ideal situations to succeed as Kyle Shanahan. Nick Mullens, who played for the 49ers from 2018 to '20, has the fifth-most passing yards by a quarterback in their first 16 career starts in NFL history.

Jones' career got off to a good start when he led the New England Patriots to the playoffs as a rookie in 2021. He threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and completed 67.6 percent of his attempts.

Things quickly fell apart for Jones in New England after that. He had 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in 25 starts over the next two seasons. The Patriots traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2024 where he served as Trevor Lawrence's backup.

The 49ers were in the market for a backup this offseason after losing Joshua Dobbs in free agency. Jones, who Shanahan admitted was in strong consideration for the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, was their answer when he signed a two-year contract on March 14.

Darnold, who was San Francisco's backup in 2023, was regarded as a higher-level prospect than Jones when he was coming out of USC. His arm strength and touch were cited as positive attributes.

Jones, on the other hand, was known to have limited arm strength and had a tendency to pre-determine where he was going with the ball before the snap.

Darnold's stock was extremely low by the time he got to the 49ers. He only made one start for them at the end of the 2023 regular season when they were resting starters after securing their playoff position early.

The Minnesota Vikings saw enough from Darnold to trust him as a potential bridge quarterback in 2024. He wound up being their starter last season after J.J. McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in the preseason.

Darnold had a career year in Minnesota, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. He parlayed that success into a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

That was also an ideal environment for a quarterback because the Vikings have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson catching passes, plus head coach Kevin O'Connell calling plays.

The 49ers are entering a transition period after losing several key players in free agency, so this situation for Jones isn't nearly as friendly as what Minnesota offered Darnold in 2024.

There's also the question of how much playing time Jones will actually get. Brock Purdy is entrenched as the starter and has only missed two games due to injuries since taking over in Week 13 of the 2022 season.

If nothing else, though, Jones now gets to work alongside the best NFL head coach he has ever had when it comes to quarterback development. Maybe this will help him unlock something that he hasn't shown so far in his career.

After an offseason that has seen several key players leave in free agency, the San Francisco 49ers are bringing back Kyle Juszczyk on a new deal.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Juszczyk is returning to the 49ers after agreeing to a two-year, $8 million contract. Juszczyk confirmed his return to the team by posting a Wolf of Wall Street meme on social media:

Juszczyk was originally released by the 49ers on Tuesday in a move that saved the team $2.9 million against the cap.

49ers tight end George Kittle has gone through it this offseason, initially posting a heartbroken emoji when Juszczyk got released and now posting a picture of the two together upon learning of his return.

There had been indications for some time that Juszczyk might not be back with San Francisco in 2025. The team reworked his contract last offseason.

Speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco in July, Juszczyk admitted to feeling "hurt" when 49ers general manager John Lynch asked him to take a pay cut.

"Honestly, it hurt when John came to me and asked," Juszczyk said. “I wasn't necessarily expecting it. It kind of hurts your ego and hurts your heart a little bit. I understand that it's a business, but I do feel like I'm as valuable as what I was expected to get paid."

Following the 49ers' final game of the 2024 season, Juszczyk told reporters he hoped to remain with the team but had no plans to retire.

"We're going to find out, but I know I'm not done. I'm definitely not done playing," he said. "I've seen zero regression. I think especially, I mean, you can turn on the last two games and please show me where I've regressed, so I have no plans of stopping."

When Juszczyk was initially released, it seemed like he was going to join the long list of notable players who left the 49ers this offseason. That group includes Deebo Samuel Sr., Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward, Aaron Banks and Javon Hargrave.

Keeping Juszczyk allows the 49ers to maintain more continuity on offense, especially with Samuel no longer on the roster. He has been on the team throughout Kyle Shanahan's entire tenure as head coach dating back to 2017.

There's still a lot of work for Lynch and Shanahan to do this offseason replacing all of the players they've lost, but getting Juszczyk back should make things easier for Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey in 2025.

As Brock Purdy continues to wait for a lucrative long-term contract extension from the San Francisco 49ers, his financial portfolio did get a little bit stronger thanks to his performance from the 2024 season.

The NFL announced on Wednesday the top-25 performance-based pay distributions from last season, with Purdy adding $857,842 to his income.

Purdy's total ranked 17th out of the 25 players listed. New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract prior to the start of free agency, topped the chart with just under $1.1 million.

Purdy's payout is interesting because it would come in just under his base salary for the entire 2023 season ($870,000).

Even if Purdy doesn't get a long-term deal before the 2025 season, his base salary has ballooned up to $5.3 million thanks to proven-performance escalators. That figure is more than double his base salary from the previous three years combined ($2.6 million).

Purdy is also in the midst of contract talks with the 49ers. There have been conflicting reports about San Francisco's initial offer to the 25-year-old.

NFL insider Jason La Canfora indicated last week the 49ers' first offer started at $45 million per season.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini (h/t David Bonilla of 49ersWebzone.com), reports of a $45 million offer to Purdy are "false" and such a proposal would be "disrespectful" because of what he's accomplished since taking over as their starter.

It wouldn't be out of character for the 49ers to play hardball in contract talks with a star player.

Rapoport did say on Tuesday's episode of The Pat McAfee Show the sense is a Purdy extension is not "imminent" at this point.

Purdy is 23-13 in 36 starts for the 49ers over the past three seasons. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 2023 after throwing for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and a 69.4 completion percentage.

Injuries decimated the 49ers roster last season, though Purdy still played well. He threw for 3,864 yards and 20 touchdowns in 15 games.

Sherwood was voted team MVP for the Jets by his teammates last season. The 25-year-old led the NFL with 98 solo tackles and ranked third on the Jets with 10 tackles for loss.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and model Olivia Culpo will soon be welcoming their first child.

Culpo announced the news Monday morning on Instagram, followed by a video announcement featuring the happy couple.

Per Riley Cardoza and Bernie Zilio of the New York Post, McCaffrey and Culpo started dating in 2019 before getting engaged in 2023. The two got married in Rhode Island last June.

McCaffrey has played eight NFL seasons for the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, earning First-Team All-Pro honors twice and the 2023 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year award as well. He's amassed 10,853 yards from scrimmage and 81 touchdowns in his career.

Culpo, who was born and raised in Rhode Island, won Miss Rhode Island, Miss USA and Miss Universe in 2012. She was featured on the cover of the 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and has also acted in numerous films, including The Other Woman and I Feel Pretty.

Brock Purdy could become the latest player for the San Francisco 49ers engaged in a prolonged contract standoff.

Per The Athletic's Michael Silver, Purdy and his representatives will likely fight for "every penny" as he negotiates a long-term extension with the 49ers this offseason.

It's worth pointing out right now that no one has any idea exactly how much Purdy wants in a new deal. His performance since taking over as the starter late in the 2022 season suggests he wouldn't be out of line seeking a top-of-the-market deal.

Dak Prescott is currently the highest-paid quarterback at $60 million per season. The trio of Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love and Joe Burrow are tied for second at $55 million annually. There are a total of nine quarterbacks making at least $50 million per season.

Per NFL insider Jason La Canfora, the 49ers' starting offer for Purdy was a $45 million average annual salary. That would be tied for 12th among quarterbacks with Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins.

Purdy has been the biggest bargain in the NFL over the past three seasons. The final pick in the 2022 draft, his base salary has never hit $1 million so far. He will finally cross that threshold in 2025 with a $5.3 million base salary, the final year of his rookie deal.

The 49ers have made moves that suggest they are planning for a Purdy extension. There was some thought that they might just release Deebo Samuel with a post-June 1 designation to spread out his $31.6 million dead cap charge over two seasons.

Instead, Samuel will be traded to the Washington Commanders for a 2025 fifth-round draft pick. The move leaves the 49ers on the hook for the entirety of his dead-cap charge this season, keeping some cap space open in 2026.

San Francisco could also open up cap space by signing George Kittle to a new contract this offseason, which he has suggested is on the table.

Everyone seemed to be on the same page about a Purdy extension at some point. Owner Jed York said in March 2024 he was prepared to pay Purdy because having a quarterback as one of the highest-paid players on your team is a "good problem" to have.

General manager John Lynch said at the scouting combine the top priority this offseason is a Purdy extension. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said during his end-of-season press conference in January he plans to have Purdy in San Francisco for as long as he's there.

Purdy's hope is to get a deal done quickly so he can take part in the team's offseason program that usually opens around the league in April.

Few teams know contract drama better than the 49ers. They've had it in recent years with Samuel, Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk. (Both Samuel and Aiyuk requested trades prior to signing extensions; Bosa got his deal done four days before the first game of the 2023 season.)

Purdy has thrown for 9,518 yards, 64 touchdowns and completed 67.5 percent of his attempts in 40 games over the past three seasons. The 25-year-old has a 23-13 record as the starter with two trips to the NFC Championship Game and an appearance in Super Bowl 58.

Veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave's time in the Bay Area reportedly has come to an end after two seasons.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers informed Hargrave that he will be released on the first day of the league year next week, making him a free agent.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported in January that the 49ers made "significant tweaks" to Hargrave's contract that would pave the way for him to be released. General manager John Lynch said at the time that the team would be open to bringing him back on a reduced contract, but it wanted to do right by him by allowing him to test free agency.

"We do have some challenges and so this doesn't mean we can't compete for his services," Lynch said at the time. "Rather than waiting until post-June 1 and being [out of luck] because free agency already happened, it gives him an opportunity to go see what his market is. And that may include us. … We know Javon. He's on a good track coming back from his injury. And would we be interested in having him? Of course. Is that something we can come to an agreement on and is it something that fits in our plans? We will see."

Hargrave originally signed a four-year, $84 million deal with the 49ers in 2023 and earned his second career Pro Bowl selection in his first season with the team after producing 44 tackles and seven sacks in 16 games. However, he was limited to just three appearances in 2024 after being placed on injured reserve due to a partially torn triceps.

A nine-year veteran, Hargrave suited up for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2016-19) and Philadelphia Eagles (2020-22). He will likely be one of the top defensive free agents on the open market this offseason, and he can be a difference-maker in the right situation.

Brandon Aiyuk's name circulated in the NFL rumor mill frequently last summer, and the buzz surrounding a potential trade has resurfaced ahead of free agency.

Michael Silver of The Athletic reported that the 49ers "would be open" to trading Aiyuk in the offseason but that the market for Aiyuk may not be strong due to his ACL injury and the $120 million deal he signed last year.

Aiyuk played in seven games in 2024 prior to suffering the injury. He signed a four-year contract with the 49ers prior to the start of the season.

Aiyuk had 47 catches for 374 yards before his year came to a close. The season-ending knee injury came after a breakout 2023 season in which he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns and helped lead San Francisco to a Super Bowl appearance.

He held in before the 2024 season due to his contract situation but eventually signed a lucrative deal that includes $76 million guaranteed. That mark ranks fifth among receivers in guaranteed money.

Aiyuk was frequently linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots in trade rumors before agreeing to terms with the 49ers.

At such an early juncture in the offseason, it's unclear which teams—if any—would have interest in pursuing Aiyuk this time around.