Could Kirk Cousins replace Brock Purdy? NFL analyst breaks down 49ers QB situation

Kirk Cousins and Brock Purdy have been NFC neighbors since the start of the 49ers quarterback's career. Despite Purdy being in the league for less than 25% of the time that Cousins has been, he has more Super Bowl appearances and playoff wins. However, the 49ers might have reason to swap the two players out.

At least, that is what NFL analyst Grant Cohen set up in a March 29 article published by Sports Illustrated. He dove into the numbers of what Purdy could be offered and how the 49ers can react if the quarterback doesn't like what he sees:

"They could offer him a three-year deal worth $97.5 million. If he doesn't take his offer, he can play out the final season of his rookie contract, which will pay him slightly more than $5.3 million in 2025. Then, in 2026, the 49ers can give him the franchise tag, which would pay him $41 million," he wrote.

"And then in 2027, the 49ers once again can give him the tag, which would pay him $51 million the second time. Which means he would get roughly $97.3 million for three years. if Purdy demands a trade, they could move him and bring in Kirk Cousins, who's under contract for three more seasons, and his base salaries add up to $97.5 million," he added.

So basically, the 49ers' options boil down to giving a Baker Mayfield-esque deal, franchise tags, or making a move for Kirk Cousins.

Exploring how 49ers could use 2025 NFL Draft to replace Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy at Detroit Lions v San Francisco 49ers - Source: Getty

While trades and franchise tags could solve the impending problem with Brock Purdy's contract, another resource is fully stocked. The NFL Draft is less than a month away, which means the 49ers could be less than a month away from finding a new quarterback.

For a franchise led by Kyle Shanahan that has been to three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks since Kirk Cousins' first NFL pass in 2012, switching the passer could be more likely for the 49ers than any other franchise.

The team swapped out Jimmy Garoppolo for Trey Lance and swapped Lance for Purdy. Will they continue the pattern of consistent quarterback changes every few years, or have they decided to settle with Purdy for the long haul? Sitting at 11th overall, Jaxson Dart could seemingly be in play.

Jalen Milroe, Riley Leonard, or a number of other quarterbacks could also be in the cards in later rounds. The 49ers found Brock Purdy at the bottom of the draft, so every quarterback in every round has reason to be on alert.