Why the 49ers Frontloaded Brock Purdy's Extension

One of the interesting details about Brock Purdy's contract extension is how the San Francisco 49ers structured his guaranteed money.

Purdy received $181 million guaranteed, and it turns out that over $165 million of it is allocated in the first three years of his deal. So, the 49ers frontloaded Purdy's extension.

The reason they did that is to make Purdy's extension essentially a three-year deal. His extension is for five years for $265 million. However, the guarantees are all that matter.

Once the guaranteed money runs out, the 49ers can cut ties with Purdy. That is why the total value of his contract is irrelevant, and it's why adding a no-trade clause to it is moot. It's all fluff.

Now, the 49ers will take a salary cap hit after year three if they do move on from Purdy. $16 million guaranteed is left, but if he is that much of a negative factor, that is a cost they will be willing to eat.

Frontloading Purdy's deal makes perfect sense. It only cements the extension as a perfect deal for the 49ers. They roll the dice to bank on Purdy being more of his 2023 version than the 2024 version.

And if he can't, they have an out in a few years. These are the stipulations in structuring contract extensions with quarterbacks, and the 49ers ended up creating a favorable one.

Some of it gives Purdy some appeasement with the cost, but they didn't overpay him, or they hardly did. Frontloading the deal gives the 49ers a contingency.

Should Purdy falter, they can kick him to the curb. If he reverts to his 2023 version, the contract they gave him becomes a bargain.