49ers have easy path to cut Brock Purdy after 2026 season to escape contract extension

The San Francisco 49ers signed Brock Purdy to a huge-money extension.

But looked at through a different lens, they gave themselves a path to exit Purdy's deal after just a couple of years if they see fit.

The guaranteed money is rather front-loaded on the deal. Only if he sticks around for the duration of the five-year extension does it get crazy pricy.

Here's how SI's Grant Cohn explained it:

Technically, the 49ers could release Purdy after 2025, but they still would have to pay him $47 million guaranteed in 2026 and nearly $12 million guaranteed for 2027. Which means they won't cut Purdy in 2026, because they won't pay him to do nothing for two years.

So when April 1, 2026 rolls around and Purdy is still on the roster, an additional $15 million option bonus will be guaranteed in 2027. Which means he will get $115 million even if the 49ers release him in 2027.

And there's a real chance the 49ers will release Purdy in 2027. Because if they don't release him by April 1, 2027, more than $55 million will become fully guaranteed for Purdy in 2028. In addition, his salary cap number will jump to $57.62 million in 2028.

Essentially, the 49ers have two more seasons to see what Purdy is made of.

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He'll make a lot of money in those seasons, too, but San Francisco will still have an escape hatch to avoid a couple down-the-road expensive seasons if they want to.

Obviously, the hope for the 49ers is that Purdy is their long-term answer at the most important position in sports.

Even if he's not, Purdy will still make a boatload of money that the 49ers will have to shell out no matter what.

But then there's a path out of there, and it'll be interesting to monitor in a couple years to see what happens.

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