The 49ers appear to have changed their tone about getting a contract done for Brock Purdy sooner than later.
The San Francisco 49ers haven't always been great about negotiating extensions with their star players in a timely manner. All fans have to do is look back to the 2024 offseason's drama with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to see how extension talks drag out until nearly the beginning of the regular season.
Speaking from the NFL Combine last February, general manager John Lynch seemed to cast some doubt on whether or not the Niners could swiftly engineer what'll ultimately be a lucrative extension for quarterback Brock Purdy.
"I think the final thing is there are no guarantees that we get something done," Lynch said back then. "But my experience is that when both sides are motivated, there is ample opportunity to do so."
Understandable. Aiyuk, defensive end Nick Bosa and even now-Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel had their respective extension talks delayed, and San Francisco's front office reportedly wasn't pleased with how those discussions were handled.
Plus, in light of the 49ers' recent cost-saving measures, a new Purdy deal seemed even more difficult, especially if it aimed to reset the quarterback market.
However, in light of additional comments made by Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan and even CEO Jed York, it seems as if a new Purdy deal isn't that far off.
49ers brass hints at optimism with Brock Purdy contract talks
Nothing is final until, well... it's final. But, judging by those comments from Lynch, Shanahan and York, it appears as if the Niners feel much better about Purdy's pending extension than they might have otherwise seemed.
Speaking from the NFL Annual Meeting, courtesy of SF Standard's David Lombardi, Lynch appeared to change his tone about Purdy and San Francisco's efforts to allocate financial resources.
"I think we’re going to get the deal done," Lynch said. "That’s what I believe. … The cash spending is down. The year’s not over. If and when we get our quarterback done, we’ll probably [again] be a top-two or -three cash spending team."
Even York, who is widely believed to be the driving force behind the 49ers' cost-cutting efforts, indicated a deal shouldn't be too far off.
"I don’t negotiate contracts," York told The Athletic's Matt Barrows. "But any conversations I’ve had with Brock personally have been great. I feel good. And when he’s ready, we’ll sit down and finish it. It shouldn’t be that hard to do."
Shanahan, who typically admits staying out of such discussions, seemed to indicate both parties want to avoid a lengthy standoff:
"Brock doesn't want to [hold out]." We don't want to do that," Shanahan said, via Lombardi. "I mean, no one wants to do that. But these are negotiations that go on between agents and our organization, and it's over a lot of money and stuff. Those aren't just things that you just knock out right away. But I believe that we will. I hope that we do, and hopefully it won't come in any football stuff."
While no one within the Niners' big-three trio is saying a deal is imminent, it appears as if there's much more optimism than there originally was earlier this offseason, primarily before cutting down on player spend.
And it appears those measures were taken to help ensure Purdy would get his deserved contract.
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