Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

As it currently stands, the future is looking bleak for the San Francisco 49ers. After making, but losing, the Super Bowl in 2023, they were hit with the Super Bowl hangover. The big negative for them is that Brock Purdy is eligible for a contract extension this offseason before becoming a free agent in 2026. With that, Purdy will end up leaving the 49ers and signing with the Detroit Lions.

With Purdy, he has been a game-manager which in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme has worked well for consistency, but has yet to fully take the team over the top. The 49ers offense is advancing, but they have reached their ceiling with Purdy as they tried to go away from the game manager quarterback with Trey Lance, but ended up not accounting for how much development he would take. With Purdy, he still has accumulated 9,141 yards and 61 touchdowns with 25 interceptions over three seasons, but has seen inconsistencies in his play under the Shanahan system that have led to a decline in play.

For the 49ers, this makes sense to let him walk as he will look for a massive contract extension after leading the team to the Super Bowl and maintaining success for the most part. For the 49ers they have to look at the optics that Purdy hasn’t brought them a Super Bowl win though, and they have massive contracts with Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams either in place or on the horizon. To overpay for Purdy with the state the 49ers are in after missing the playoffs would only set the franchise back.

Purdy has his limitations, but he would fit the Lions offense very similarly to Jared Goff. Granted the Lions offensive success has been done through Ben Johnson as the offensive coordinator, but with Johnson not being in a rush to take a head coaching job and instead waiting for the right opportunity, he could still be around for 2026.

With key players like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta, Purdy would be surrounded by the right talent and culture in Detroit to get his play back up to par. Not to mention, with his style of play being similar to Goff, it would create a seamless transition for both sides.