Of the 25 names released by the NFL who cashed in, Purdy came in at No. 16 and he wasn’t even the highest 49er player on the list. That went to rookie guard Dominick Puni, who received $898,036 after playing all but one snap in 17 games after being a third-round draft pick out of Kansas.

After one season with the San Francisco 49ers, Sam Darnold left for a breakout 2024 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. He parlayed that success into a lucrative contract with the Seattle Seahawks, where he will now face his former team twice a year.

Sam Darnold entered the year as the San Francisco 49ers' new backup quarterback after five unfruitful seasons with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. His career outlook at the time looked bleak.

The 49ers will now be facing Sam Darnold twice a year for at least the next three seasons, and he identified Brock Purdy as a big reason for him getting that opportunity.