49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy Could Hold Out this Offseason
There's no guarantee Brock Purdy will step foot on the practice field when the 49ers start OTAs in April.
Purdy wants a contract extension and said he wants to finalize it before OTAs. When asked if he would practice this offseason without an extension, he said he wasn't sure.
The 49ers almost certainly will offer him a long-term extension in the next couple months, but it probably won't be the one he wants. The 49ers have a pattern of making lowball initial offers to their best players, then waiting until August or September to make a better offer and finalize the deal.
So why would Purdy take the first offer the 49ers present him when he knows a better one will come his way a few months down the line? He'd be a fool to take their first offer.
Which means an offseason hold out seems likely. Purdy probably feels the 49ers owe him back pay for the past three seasons, and the 49ers probably feel he owes them a hometown discount after playing poorly in the fourth quarter of close games his entire career.
If Purdy does indeed hold out, the 49ers will have to find a quarterback who knows the system and can take all the first-team reps during the offseason. Jimmy Garoppolo will be a free agent, although it seems the relationship between him and the coaching staff is irreparably damaged.
Kirk Cousins also will be a free agent if the Falcons release him, which seems likely. If that happens, the 49ers could sign him to a one-year deal for the league minimum because the Falcons are on the hook for his entire salary in 2025.
This offseason could get messy.