49ers nuclear trade idea ships Brock Purdy to Titans for draft pick haul

The San Francisco 49ers are currently giving every indication that they intend to keep quarterback Brock Purdy around long-term.

In the past week, owner Jed York and general manager John Lynch have both expressed confidence in the team's ability to get an extension done with their starting quarterback. Purdy, for his part, wants the deal done by mid-April so he can participate in all team activities in the new league year.

Purdy has played fantastic football during his time in the NFL so far, but that doesn't mean everyone around the league thinks the 49ers should jump at the chance to pay him upwards of $50 million per year, when his minuscule salary was previously helping them build a stacked roster.

So far, there's been no indication that the two sides are close to finding common ground on a contract figure. If that trend continues into draft season, there could still be room for a surprising 180 from San Francisco.

On Thursday, Grant Cohn of 49ers On SI proposed a radical idea: What if, instead of extending Purdy, the 49ers flipped the 25-year-old signal-caller to the Tennessee Titans, who could then pass on Miami's Cam Ward with the top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft?

"Instead of drafting Ward, the Titans could draft (Abdul) Carter and trade for Purdy. They would send a first-round pick this year and a conditional second-rounder next year that could become a first-rounder if the Titans make the playoffs and Purdy stays healthy," Cohn wrote.

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"And then the 49ers could sign Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal, or they could make Mac Jones the starter for 2025. Or they could trade for Kirk Cousins. Or they could draft Shedeur Sanders... The 49ers have so many options that are better than paying Purdy $60 million per season. Let's see which option they choose."

Cohn's proposal is slightly murky, because the Titans only have one first-round pick this year, so would the aforementioned first-rounder in the deal actually be shifted to 2026? If not, the Titans couldn't draft Carter and still trade a 2025 first-rounder for Purdy, unless they somehow acquired a second pick from another team.

This is more about the thought exercise than it is about likelihood. At this point, it's hard to envision any team wanting to extend Purdy more than the 49ers do, because it's unclear whether his success transcends offensive schemes and the personnel he's had to work with.

More NFL: 49ers GM John Lynch hints at likelihood of Brock Purdy contract extension