San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch had a positive update on contract talks with quarterback Brock Purdy.
Lynch spoke with reporters at the NFL's annual league meeting and expressed optimism about a contract extension getting done with the team's franchise quarterback. That's not a huge surprise, but it's more evidence the team isn't considering making him play out his rookie contract before leaning on the franchise tag to keep him in the Bay Area for two more years before addressing a long-term extension. That type of uncertainty at the sport's most important position would be a problem as the team moves into a new era.
Another potential problem with Purdy's extension is the timing. A situation where Purdy's extension bleeds into training camp and beyond could be a major issue given the impact we've seen such negotiations have on defensive end Nick Bosa and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in each of the last two offseasons. A better scenario would be one where Purdy's contract is signed before the offseason program begins and the potential for a holdout never enters the conversations. Lynch had some potentially good news on that front as well.
"I don't think it's too optimistic," Lynch said via ESPN when asked about a deal getting done before the offseason program. "I think I understand why Brock wants that. We'd like that very much, so we've just got to find that right place for both sides, and I would love nothing more than for that to be the case."
The 49ers have a habit of making big money negotiations last right up until training camp. That's not a wise move in an offseason where they need to be nearly perfect to help right the ship after a dismal 6-11 2024 campaign. They need to ensure they're locking up their signal caller long-term and avoiding a holdout that could add unnecessary turmoil to a very important training camp.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers GM John Lynch has good news on Brock Purdy contract talks
