49ers QB Brock Purdy is a Tier 2 Quarterback according to CBS Sports

Purdy needs to prove that he can bounce back while making a ton of money.

Jun 11, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) rolls out to pass during a team OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The 49ers made Brock Purdy the seventh-highest-paid player in the NFL this offseason in terms of the annual average value of his contract. But he is not the seventh-best player in the league nor the seventh-best quarterback.

CBS Sports recently ranked all 32 starting quarterbacks into tiers and placed Purdy in the second tier of "borderline stars" along with Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Baker Mayfield and C.J. Stroud

"The physical fragility of the San Francisco 49ers finally got to Purdy in Year 3, when his struggles playing from behind were clearer than ever," writes CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin. "Still, this kid is a Kyle Shanahan favorite for good reason. He's a wily and underrated play-extender, he isn't afraid to let it fly, and his collectedness took him to the biggest stage before."

With all due respect to Purdy, I think it's a bit premature to rank him in the same tier as Stafford in particular. He's a Super Bowl champion and a borderline Hall of Famer. Purdy is not, at least not yet. He's a young quarterback who had a great season in 2023. But he lost the Super Bowl and he hasn't had two great full seasons yet, and he's coming off a major down season. And he's had injury issues of his own.

Purdy needs to prove that he can bounce back while making a ton of money, because the team around him won't ever be as good as it was two years ago. Plus, he needs to prove that he can stay healthy.

Through three career seasons, Purdy has started just 36 career games. In NFL terms, he's still a baby. We don't know if he'll become a "transcendent talent" (Tier 1) or a volatile veteran (Tier 4). We'll find out eventually.