The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a disappointing season that saw them finish with a 6-11 record and in fourth place in the NFC West while quarterback Brock Purdy took a bit of a step back following a Pro Bowl 2023 season.

In 15 games, Purdy completed a career-low 65.9% of his passes for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns and a career-high 12 interceptions. However, that didn’t dissuade the 49ers from giving the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft a massive five-year, $265 million extension, making him the seventh-highest paid quarterback by average annual value.

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Over the offseason, San Francisco made Purdy’s job a bit more difficult when they shipped Deebo Samuel, who caught 334 passes for 4,792 yards and 22 touchdowns in his six years with the 49ers, to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick. To help fill his spot, they signed Demarcus Robinson and drafted Jordan Watkins in the fourth round.

It’s reasonable to expect Purdy to take some time to adjust to things in 2025, including his new weapons. However, there’s also a chance that he shows why he was deserving of that extension. On Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon explained why each quarterback in the NFL can dominate this year, and his reasoning regarding Purdy was sound.

“The 25-year-old has the highest career passer rating in NFL history (min. 1,000 attempts), and he’s still surrounded by plenty of talent,” Gagnon wrote. “Better injury luck for the 49ers could be all it takes.”

The toughest part for Purdy could be the beginning of the year, as Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco’s top wideout, is recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus he suffered midway through their 2024 campaign. If he misses the start of the season, Robinson and Jauan Jennings could be the 49ers’ top two wide receivers early. That’s not exactly an ideal situation.

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However, if a quarterback is going to make over $50 million per year, they should be able to elevate the group around them. We’ll see how Purdy will handle that pressure this year.

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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL writer says 49ers’ Brock Purdy ‘can dominate’ in 2025