The San Francisco 49ers prevented a drawn-out negotiation by inking QB Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract, turning him from Mr. Irrelevant to one of many recreation’s highest-paid passers. Earlier than that deal received completed, not less than two analysts consider Pittsburgh ought to’ve been on the cellphone with San Francisco.
ESPN’s Michelle Smallmon and Evan Cohen shared their shock and confusion over why no crew, together with the Steelers, made a push to pry Purdy from the 49ers.
“I’m stunned that no different groups picked up the cellphone to name the 49ers on Brock Purdy. Particularly realizing he was asking for a quantity so excessive,” Smallmon mentioned Tuesday’s episode on Unsportsmanlike, referencing a $65-million-per-year determine introduced up on the present.
It’s not clear the place the forged pulled the $65 million quantity from. That may’ve simply made Purdy the highest-paid quarterback within the league and few anticipated Purdy to actually reset the market if and when an extension received completed. Final summer time, ESPN and The Athletic instructed the concept however there was no reporting of that being a sensible determine, a lot much less one Purdy was asking for.
“Pittsburgh didn’t decide up the cellphone,” Smallmon mentioned.
Cohen took it a step additional, believing Pittsburgh is penny pinching the place.
“Pittsburgh didn’t seemingly go for Matthew Stafford when there was a second to do this,” he mentioned. “They didn’t seemingly go for Geno Smith when there was a second to do this. They weren’t in on Sam Darnold when there was a second to do this. They usually weren’t in on Purdy. So they simply don’t wanna pay quarterbacks. They don’t consider quarterbacks is the place it is best to pay. That’s what you study.”
Reportedly, the Steelers didn’t need to half with a excessive draft decide and pay Stafford. The New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders have been keen to supply huge contracts, however Stafford took much less to re-sign with the Rams, making any curiosity Pittsburgh would’ve had moot. Smith wouldn’t have been a long-term reply and sure an unwise funding whereas reviews indicated the Steelers made a run at Darnold.
Regardless of what Smallmon and Cohen suppose, buying and selling for Purdy was by no means going to occur, and paying him $60-something million for the possibility wouldn’t have been sensible.
There are legitimate critiques of how Pittsburgh has dealt with issues at quarterback post-Ben Roethlisberger, however this angle misses the mark. If there’s one to make associated to the Steelers and Purdy, it’s for passing on him within the 2022 draft. After taking Kenny Pickett, the Steelers double-dipped by choosing South Dakota State QB Chris Oladokun within the seventh spherical, No. 241 general. Purdy was chosen No. 262.
Most of that is talk-radio fodder. Cohen is a fan of firing off left-field takes. Kirk Cousins will probably be a Steeler the Monday after the draft. Deciding on Jalen Milroe would instantly lead Pittsburgh to the playoffs. Commerce for Will Levis. Commerce T.J. Watt to Minnesota. That is all par for the course. Pittsburgh’s plan has been to attend out Aaron Rodgers underneath the assumption a solution will come quickly.
