The San Francisco 49ers are heading into a critical season as they try to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 campaign. While the franchise has been among the best in the NFL over the past decade, it still has not won a Super Bowl since Steve Young was under center. 

Now the organization has some significant decisions to make this offseason, including what to do with quarterback Brock Purdy. It looks like general manager John Lynch is keen on giving his Pro Bowl quarterback a very expensive contract extension, but an agreement has not been reached yet. No matter what, Purdy is heading into the 2025 season with much to prove. 

While the 25-year-old is an inspiring success story, considering that he was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, where Purdy ranks among other top quarterbacks has been widely debated. Several pundits see the former Iowa State standout as a product of the elite weapons and coaching around him, and that he cannot elevate a less talented roster. 

Others, however, believe that Purdy is an elite quarterback who has only scratched the surface of his potential. Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon seems split on the 49ers’ star in his ranking of the best players under the center. However, the contributing journalist does put Purdy as the tenth-best quarterback in the NFL and explains his decision in detail. 

“Purdy was magnificent in 2023 and 2024,” Gagnon said. “The 25-year-old's 111.4 passer rating during that stretch is enough to keep him on this list, as he remains the highest-rated passer in NFL history among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 attempts. However, with injuries plaguing the 49ers across the board in 2024, Purdy was merely the NFL's 13th-highest-rated passer while ranking 17th in qualified completion percentage and throwing 12 interceptions in 15 games. 

In fact, in his first 14 career games, he threw 22 touchdown passes to just four interceptions. In his 26 starts since then, that ratio has dropped to a much more pedestrian 42-to-23.  Purdy's overall success and potential keep him in the bottom portion of this list, but I'm not convinced it will last. There's a good chance we've already seen the best of the 2022 final overall pick.” 

Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

There are two ways 49ers fans can look at this list. One, their team has a 25-year-old quarterback already in the top ten and presumably has his best years ahead of him. Two, Purdy needs to be way better than the tenth-best quarterback in the NFL to warrant a long-term contract projected to be around $50 million per year, and there are already concerns about whether he has reached his peak. 

Either way, it’s fair to say there are still a lot of doubts about the 2023 leader in passer rating. But Purdy has a chance to quell those concerns this upcoming season with a roster that will need him to play like a Pro Bowl quarterback again. 

More NFL: 49ers' George Kittle makes Brock Purdy announcement amid contract situation