Brock Purdy's salary, NFL Draft fall and scouting report that led to Super Bowl
Despite being one of the key players at Super Bowl LVIII, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is one of the lowest-paid players in the game.
He's had a meteoric rise to become the Niners' starter, beating out both veteran Jimmy Garoppolo and third-overall draft pick Trey Lance for the spot.
Purdy achieved all this despite being taken with the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft - earning him the title of 'Mr Irrelevant'. After securing the starting spot in 2022, Purdy has now led the Niners to the Super Bowl and could win an MVP award in his first full year as a starter.
Mirror Sports US delves into why Purdy fell to the seventh round in the NFL Draft, and how much he'll earn this season.
READ MORE: San Francisco 49ers star hoping not to play in Super Bowl - 'I'm happy just to spectate'
Joe Burrow backs Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl
READ MORE: Christian McCaffrey aiming to join exclusive club with Super Bowl LVIII win
Despite impressive stats at Iowa State, many wondered why Purdy fell so far in the draft. But in reality, Purdy was seen as a longshot to make it to the NFL at all.
Five quarterbacks, including Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Steelers), Malik Willis (Tennessee Titans), Matt Corral (Carolina Panthers), Desmond Ridder (Atlanta Falcons) and Sam Howell (Washington Commanders), were seen as potential starters from Purdy's draft class.
Only Pickett and Howell are currently leading their teams, with rumours of them being replaced this off-season.
Despite his impressive stats, Purdy wasn't considered in the next group of prospects due to perceived weaknesses in his profile. He was praised for his ability to pass accurately from a clean pocket and make the right throws into short windows. But, he was criticised for lacking arm strength, and some questioned his height and decision-making under pressure.
Purdy is the most underpaid player in the NFL (Getty Images)In essence, Purdy was viewed as a quarterback who could excel in the right system, but wouldn't have the attributes or skills to lead a team as a reliable starting quarterback.
Interestingly, the former Iowa State quarterback found an ideal fit with the 49ers - a team known for it's inventive playcalling and having the best group of skill players in the league to throw the ball to.
However, Purdy has also shown that he's more than capable of leading the team out of tough situations, while proving that he does have the arm talent to succeed - making impressive throws in their comeback victory over the Detroit Lions to make it to his first Super Bowl.
How much is Brock Purdy's salary this season?
In his second season in the league, Purdy will take home $934,000 and will be the fifth-lowest-paid player in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Tom Brady announces retirement from NFL "for good" after 23 seasons
Purdy's salary will remain amongst the lowest in the NFL until after the 2024 season, after he was selected with the final selection of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Essentially, the lower that a player is taken in the draft, the lower their salary remains through their rookie scale contract.
However, the NFL regulations mean that players must stay on their rookie contract for at least three seasons. Meaning that Purdy will remain on around £750,000 through the 2024 season - before he becomes eligible for an extension.
As arguably the most underpaid player in the NFL, Purdy is certain to command big money should he continue playing at this level, likely as soon as his third year has come to an end.
Purdy's salary cap being so low has allowed the Niners to allocate money elsewhere on their roster, with the team splashing the cash this past off-season to secure key players - knowing that they must pay Purdy in the coming years.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
