Saints-49ers Blockbuster Trade Idea Would Shockingly Ship Brock Purdy To New Orleans

Too crazy to happen, or just crazy enough?

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As the New Orleans Saints face uncertainty at the quarterback situation, the San Francisco 49ers are in a similar, but completely different boat.

The 49ers have spent the entirety of the offseason trying to find common ground with their fourth-year signal-caller Brock Purdy on an extension. Purdy, the former seventh-round pick who has made less than $3 million in his career, appears to be seeking upwards of a $50 million annual salary.

Meanwhile, the Saints have already paid a quarterback, but they're uncertain of his availability. Derek Carr has a shoulder injury that could require surgery, which would put him out for the season and leave the Saints with no reliable QB to guide them toward the playoffs.

Is there a solution to both teams' conundrums that involves a stunning trade? That's the way one NFL writer apparently sees the parallel situations.

On Saturday, Grant Cohn of 49ers On SI urged the Saints to trade for Purdy and extend him, while San Francisco would collect the ninth-overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

"(The Saints) should call the 49ers and offer them the ninth pick in the draft in exchange for Purdy. And then the Saints should pay him more than $50 million per season to be the heir apparent to Drew Brees," Cohn wrote.

"Meanwhile, the 49ers would have two first-round picks -- No. 9 and No. 11. They could use one of those picks on a quarterback (Shedeur Sanders?), or they could make Mac Jones the starter and draft a backup in the later rounds."

The Saints already have one messy QB contract on their hands with Carr. Paying Purdy is the ultimate risk, which the 49ers seem to be wrestling with, so New Orleans quickly lining up to pay him instead could be considered reckless.

But in this sport, you're lost without a premier quarterback. To be fair, it's hard to tell if that's what Purdy will be if he ever leaves Kyle Shanahan, but his statistics have been so good through three seasons that it wouldn't be unreasonable for the Saints to take a shot.

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