Rams' Bitter Rival Purdy Slammed With Brutal Take Amid 49ers' Collapse

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been a lightning rod for criticism lately.

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

It hasn't exactly been a great season all-around for the San Francisco 49ers, but perhaps one of the most concerning aspects has been the play of quarterback Brock Purdy.

After finishing fourth in MVP voting last year, Purdy has seen a sharp decline in performance in 2024, with the third-year signal-caller having thrown for 3,174 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 65 percent of his passes and posting a 94.3 passer rating.

Here's the catch: the 24-year-old becomes eligible for a contract extension this coming offseason, and rumor has it that he will be seeking a deal worth north of $60 million annually.

That's quite a predicament for a 49ers squad that is already financially strapped as it is, which has led to some wondering if San Francisco will refuse to give in to Purdy's potential demands.

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger recently made an appearance on 95.7 The Game and offered a rather jarring take on Purdy, saying that the Niners would actually be better off signing Sam Darnold in free agency than handing Purdy a lucrative extension.

"I'd go flip him for Sam Darnold right now," Baldinger said.

Funny enough, Darnold served as Purdy's backup in San Francisco last year, but Baldinger apparently thinks the Niners should supplant Purdy with Darnold in 2025.

"He's bigger and stronger than what Brock is," added Baldinger. " ... I'd be interested to see what it would take to get Sam Darnold."

Darnold will certainly be a hot commodity on the free-agent market heading into March thanks to the sensational campaign he is currently enjoying with the Minnesota Vikings.

But would the 49ers really ditch Purdy to bring Darnold back into the fold?

"Because if you make the wrong decision, and he's a guy that's a declining player, which it sort of looks like right now, then you would be a bottom feeder for a while," Baldinger said of Purdy. "And so, it's a very tricky situation right now."

It's probably far too early to say that Purdy is "declining" considering that he is still very young, and in fairness, he has been missing two of his top weapons in Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk for most of the season.

Still, there is no doubt that Purdy does not quite look like the same guy he did in 2023, which may lend credence to the notion that the Iowa State product is actually a system quarterback.

Baldinger also lamented the fact that Purdy "couldn't make one play" against the Los Angeles Rams last Thursday.

We'll see what San Francisco decides to do in a few months.

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