Why the 49ers’ Super Bowl window is now closed, according to Rams Pro Bowl receiver

The San Francisco 49ers struck a deal with quarterback Brock Purdy this week, signing the former “Mr. Irrelevant” to a five-year, $265 million extension. The deal averages $53 million per year, and includes $181 million in total guarantees along with $165.05 million over the first three years, according to NFL Media.

How much money Purdy would make in this deal was a hotly debated topic among analysts. As it turns out, players were talking about it too. During an appearance on Julian Edelman’s “Games With Names” podcast last month, Los Angeles Rams star wideout Puka Nacua was asked if he believed Purdy deserved a contract averaging in the high $40 millions per year.

“I think, no. I think mid-40s,” Nacua said, per NFL.com. 

Furthermore, Nacua believed the 49ers’ Super Bowl window could CLOSE if San Francisco paid Purdy $50 million per year. 

“I think he seems like a smart guy,” Nacua said. “They have a chance to still be in their window. And I think if he goes for a 5 [$50 million-plus], then the window closes. Right?”

Spotrac’s market value tool believed Purdy could sign a four-year, $238,966,260 deal that averaged $59.7 million per year. That deal would have made him the No. 2 highest-paid quarterback in the NFL behind Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott. Instead, Purdy ties Jared Goff in being the No. 7 highest-paid quarterback.

Truth be told, Purdy was always going to get at least $50 million per year in an extension. You could make the argument that’s actually a bit below the going rate for young, Pro Bowl starting quarterbacks looking for an extension coming off their rookie contract.  

Nacua was likely questioning how San Francisco could build and maintain an elite roster with its quarterback no longer on a cheap rookie deal. After all, the 49ers lost a considerable amount of talent this offseason, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel, safety Talanoa Hufanga, cornerback Charvarius Ward and linebacker Dre Greenlaw. 

Purdy’s story is already one of the most fascinating tales in NFL history. The last player selected in a draft class helped take his team to the Super Bowl in his first full year as a starter. But where would Purdy fall if we were to power-rank quarterbacks? Is Purdy top 10, or more like top 15? As it stands now, Purdy already ranks first in NFL history when it comes to yards per attempt (8.9) and passer rating (104.9) (min. 1,000 passing attempts), but is he the engine that makes this 49ers offense go, or simply the steering wheel? Purdy is 27-15 as a starter in the NFL, including playoffs, but 10-11 when any member of his “big five” does not play — a list which includes Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Samuel, who was traded to the Washington Commanders earlier this offseason.

There are now 11 quarterbacks who currently make at least $51 million per year, including Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert. A quarterback making that much money does make life tougher for a general manager, but it doesn’t take them out of contention all together. Unless Purdy is in fact a quarterback who needs five All-Pro-type players around him to find success.