Santa Clara, Calif. - In April 2021, the San Francisco 49ers replaced quarterback Trey Lance No. 3 in the NFL draft. Lance is seen as a future franchise signal summoner for years to come.

The 49ers aim to have quarterbacks on rookie contracts while using resources to build a dominant roster around QB. Hopefully these pieces will be equivalent to the Super Bowl Championship.

It turns out that the Niners do indeed benefit from the rookie quarterback contract window. But a year later, after 2022, Brock Purdy, instead of Lance, became the team's starter and played for the last draft pick (Mr. Irlelevant) in the 2022 draft. Purdy led the 49ers to two NFC championship games, including one, but the team failed to win the sixth Lombardy Trophy in Super Bowl LVIII.

"We made him the last choice in the draft, and it served us," General Manager John Lynch said.

Now that Purdy's rookie contract (average paying $853,333 per quarter) is over, he signed a five-year, $265 million contract that includes a $181 million guarantee that runs throughout the 2030 season. This makes Purdy the highest-paid player in franchise history - meaning San Francisco has reached its expiration date for the cheap Quarterback-Plus-Plus-earped-Rosterformula.

Although Purdy's early contract cap numbers were kept easy to manage, for better or worse, Niners are now in Purdy's hands. Purdy was praised as one of the best bargains in sports, depending on his ranks as the seventh highest-paid quarterback in the NFL (in annual units).

Despite an offseason avalanche change after the 6-11 season, Purdy has no better time to start deliveries than in 2025. The 49ers will enter next season with the easiest schedule in the league, based at least on the results of their opponents in 2024.

If the situation goes as planned, Purdy should welcome back Christian McCaffrey (foot, knee), left tackle Trent Williams (foot) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), which cost them most of the last season. George Kittle remains one of the league’s top tensions, just signing a four-year contract extension that should ensure he remains one of Purdy’s favorite targets for the foreseeable future.

Given the team's many offseason departures, another appearance in the Super Bowl - will be played at Niners' Levi's Stadium, which is too much, but if Purdy can return to his 2023 form, that will keep his franchise quarterback looking for over two decades.

Purdy must prove himself to be 49ers owner Jed York called him at a league meeting in March, one of the 10 best quarterbacks in the league. If it is not an ophthalmic test, this assertion can be supported by numbers.

Since being the starter of the Niners in Week 13 of 2022, Purdy has ranked fourth (70.2) in QBR, third (9,452) in pass yards (9,452), each attempt (8.9) and seventh yards (64).

"I think he's great," York said. "Especially when you combine him with Kyle and then combine him with everything we have and he's the quarterback. We want him to stay here for a long time."

Even before Purdy signs his new deal, San Francisco will feel the impact of the contract. Niners experienced a lot of roster clearances in the offseason, losing major free agents such as cornerback Charvarius Ward, defenders Dre Greenlaw, Safety Talanoa Hufanga and Guard Aaron Banks. They also released starting defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, as well as End Leonard Floyd, and traded generous receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and ran back to Jordan Mason.

The result of the Exodus is nearly $81 million in dead-salary cap currency, which is easily the easiest in the 2025 NFL, a lineup that will rely heavily on 11 drafted rookies to fill the 49ers’ time spent in free agency.

Neither York, Lynch nor coach Kyle Shanahan avoided much of their offseason focus on cleaning up the deck on the roster to make room for Purdy's deal. Teammates such as Kittel, defenders Fred Warner, Williams and McCaffrey gave Purdy a repeated vote of confidence and expressed their recognition of Purdy's final payday.

With 49ers betting on a lot, not only can Purdy return to the production he offers in 2022 and 2023, but he can continue to grow into a player even if his support roster is reduced.

Purdy failed most of the year without McCaffrey, Aiyuk and Williams in 2024 and missed other key starters from time to time.

During that season of attempt, Purdy continued to struggle in bad weather, while his 1.7 touchdown rate was 23rd in the NFL and dropped from 2.8 in 2023. When he was behind in the fourth quarter, he was in QBR (No. 20 in the NFL), throwing 3 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in this case.

Despite these issues, Purdy finished with a QBR of 67.9, ranked seventh in the NFL and grew into a messy QBR with a career-high 323 yards and five touchdowns.

This production is hike enough to convince Niners of Purdy. Despite all discussions about the team’s belief in Purdy over the past three years, a final test of the stone test will be conducted in the extended negotiations.

“You need to be sure of that,” Shanahan said. “If you pay the quarterback, if that’s not the person you’re sure of, then that won’t be fun afterward.”

The inherent implication of Purdy's new agreement is that his responsibility falls on his type, which can improve production of people around him and join him in the forefront of the new era of 49ers football.