We can argue whether Brock Purdy earned his $53 million average annual value over five years or not, but all the San Francisco 49ers did was put pressure on every other team with a quarterback still on a rookie-scale contract to make an expensive decision — and fast.
The next team in the long line of rookie quarterback dominos is the Atlanta Falcons, and the clock is ticking on how they’ll handle Michael Penix Jr. 's pending extension. Now, Atlanta has two more seasons before they start extension talks and make a fifth-year option decision, but Purdy’s extension will hang over them during that span.
Penix showed he can very much be the Falcons' quarterback of the future. But they can’t rush a decision like this based on less than half a season of cleaning up a mess Kirk Cousins made. That said, Penix has earned the right to feel like he’s valuable, because he almost brought the Falcons back to playoff contention to close the season.
Brock Purdy’s extension is putting pressure on the Atlanta Falcons looming extension on Michael Penix Jr.
The effect that the Purdy extension has on Penix is interesting. Purdy, while leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl, has had some injury problems since he’s worked his way from last pick in the NFL Draft to one of the highest paid QBs in the league.
That’s why it was a bit alarming that he commanded such a hefty contract, considering he still has something to prove. He needs an army of weapons to produce and isn’t really a player that elevates the team around him like most of the other quarterbacks getting paid like him.
Which means the Falcons may be forced to pay Penix even more down the line than he’s probably worth, because I’m sure Penix’s agent can argue that Purdy hasn’t done much to deserve his contract. Atlanta has been starving for a quarterback to replace Matt Ryan and have come up short.
They overpaid for Kirk Cousins and he didn’t even make it through a full season. The Falcons haven’t cut him, but they are committed to starting Penix next season and beyond. If I’m Penix, I’m using Purdy’s extension as fuel. All he has to do is lead the Falcons to the playoffs and it could lead him to a massive payday.
Atlanta already made one bad decision when it came to paying a quarterback, they’re going to tread carefully when it comes to Penix. Thanks to Purdy, though, they might not have that luxury.