The Athletic’s Mike Sando asked NFL Executives around the league about each team in the NFC’s moves during free agency.
The San Francisco 49ers have all but backed themselves into a corner when it comes to positional need. Several free agents exited, but few were surprises. We know the roster holes and the salary cap constraints the Niners are in. We also know this is a team that has consistently won under Kyle Shanahan.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando reached out to NFL Executives for their thoughts on the biggest and most interesting moves NFC teams made or have not made yet. The 49ers were a popular topic after clearing the decks for Brock Purdy’s contract.
The 49ers had the biggest differential in money during free agency, losing $104.4 million. One exec said, “It’s easy to spend the way they have spent when you are in NFC Championships. It’s not easy when you are 6-11, and the roster is getting older, and now you have to pay Brock Purdy. You aren’t just tacking on $50-60 million to that roster. But they haven’t gone after their core.”
Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw were part of the core, but Samuel’s best days are behind him, and the Niners attempted to bring Greenlaw back, but Dre wanted out of the Fred Warner spotlight.
Here’s another executive:
“They are putting a lot of trust in their ability to draft, but also not surprisingly, they are like, ‘Well, we can get Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown, turn them into starters, so why keep paying for all these other guys coming off a six-win season? They are keeping the true difference makers and letting go of those they feel were overpaid now, or resting on their laurels.”
We’re one year removed from Dominick Puni starting every game as a late third-round pick. If he can stay healthy, Dee Winters will replace Greenlaw, and he was a sixth-rounder. Deommodore Lenoir was drafted in the fifth round and played well enough to earn a $92 million extension. The Niners have quite a few feathers in their cap when it comes to the NFL Draft.
Lastly, Purdy and his extension. One executive believes Brock isn’t in a position to be demanding:
“People forget with Purdy, the guy has made nothing. If you are Brock Purdy, you are staring two years of franchise tags in the face and $5 million (in 2025 salary). His best-case scenario (without an extension) is $100 million over three years. I am not saying they would pound him, but I have never understood how people think he gets to $60 million (per year on an extension).”
The Purdy contract is going to make the masses lose their minds, and that’s on both ends of the spectrum. My guess would be they give Brock two to three years with an out in the contract. The deal is likely backloaded, as that would allow the 49ers to continue to build around Purdy during the next two seasons.