49ers beat writer wants John Lynch to trade Brock Purdy to the New Orleans Saints

Brock Purdy is waiting for a new contract extension from the San Francisco 49ers. As a result, he can become one of the highest-paid NFL players of all time, but there’s also the possibility of the Niners trading him away to get better draft capital.

49ers beat writer Grant Cohn is a fan of Brock Purdy. So, he can’t bear to watch General Manager John Lynch trying to lowball a player who won so many games. He deserves fair compensation.

Brock Purdy is a top quarterback… No! No! No! He is a top 5 quarterback. The 49ers don’t appreciate him. They think they created [Brock Purdy]. When actuality, they all would have been fired without Brock Purdy and they wanna nickel and dime in the contract negotiation.

Grant Cohn said on X

Purdy is in the final year of his rookie contract. Even though the Iowa State graduate led the 49ers to consecutive NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance, his base salary remains $985,000, the lowest among starting NFL quarterbacks.

Cohn wants Purdy to get a good deal, and according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the 25-year-old is on course to earn between $50 and $60 million. This is the reason Cohn wants the 49ers to cash out while they still have a chance.

The Saints should take a chance, should call the Niners [and] offer them—what’s a fair [Brock Purdy] trade offer for a franchise quarterback? Maybe their first-round pick. The ninth pick overall. Offer the 9th pick and then pay Brock Purdy $60 million because you don’t get an opportunity to get a quarterback like that very much.

Grant Cohn said

Make the call, @Saints. pic.twitter.com/8aiq6jgog6

— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) April 12, 2025

The 49ers have a history of paying players too much money. In the past, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, and Brandon Aiyuk bagged top money, which has left the NFC West team very little to work with. As a consequence, they released young players such as Jordan Mason, waiting for new contracts in favor of older guys like Trent Williams and Kyle Juszczyk.

Brock Purdy could end up being the next big Saints quarterback

The Saints are in a bind. Quarterback Derek Carr, 34, is dealing with a shoulder injury and could miss out on the early portion of the 2025-26 season if he decides to undergo surgery.

Cohn made Carr the villain in the Brock Purdy trade proposal. The Saints were off to a decent start in 2024, winning 5 of 10 before Carr injured his shoulder. The NFC South team struggled the rest of the year. They boast a good roster, and the only piece missing is a quarterback.

If the Saints trade for Purdy, then they will receive Drew Brees 2.0, or in Cohn’s words, ‘Drew Purdy.’

[Brock Purdy] could be the next Drew Brees. He kind of looks like Drew Brees. He’s kind of short like Drew Brees. If he wore the same uniform Drew Brees, you might actually think that Drew Brees is still on the team. You might be able to sell more tickets and call him baby Drew Brees… He could change his name to Drew Purdy. I think this works for both teams.

Grant Cohn said

The Saints play in a relatively weaker division than the 49ers. On top of it, they play inside a dome, while the Niners Levi’s Stadium often experiences turbulent winds swooping in from the bay. Playing inside an enclosed stadium might help elevate Purdy’s game even more.

Purdy will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from a Super Bowl-winning coach, Kellen Moore.

Why does Cohn want the Purdy-to-Saints trade to happen?

If the 49ers are in a rebuilding phase, then instead of paying high wages to their starting quarterback, it’s better to look for an alternative. The main reason for eyeing the Saints’ 9th pick is drafting a quarterback. According to the latest mock draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is projected to slide out of the top 10 unless a team trades up to grab him.

If Sanders doesn’t go to the Giants, there aren’t many clear landing spots for him in the top 10 … and he could slide. I could see a team trading up for him—maybe even the Saints, who have nine picks—but most of these rosters are already set at quarterback. This is a great outcome for New Orleans, though. I like this match a lot.

Mel Kiper said via Sports Illustrated

It’s an exciting prospect for the Saints. However, the joy might turn out to be a fleeting one if the owners accepted the Brock Purdy trade proposal.

Cohn claimed that naming Purdy as ‘Baby Drew Brees’ would sell out a lot of tickets, but Sanders attracts the spotlight wherever he ventures. If a good quarterback is the only missing cog in their wheel, then it’s better to go for the cheaper option rather than paying $60 million to Purdy.

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