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While Brock Purdy is still on pace to break the San Francisco 49ers’ single-season franchise record for passing yards that he set last season, the quarterback is coming off one of the worst games of his career, throwing three interceptions in a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Inside the 49ers’ building, confidence in Purdy remains high. Still, critics suggest his Week 7 performance proves he may be overrated, unable to carry the team without top-tier offensive playmakers.

In an intriguing piece for The Washington Post, Jason La Canfora examined Purdy’s recent struggles in a season where the 49ers’ defense has yet to reach elite form and the quarterback is still without game-changing running back Christian McCaffrey and now wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is out for the season.

While Purdy is on track for over 4,400 passing yards, his passer rating has dropped from a league-leading 113.0 last season to 91.2 this season, and his touchdown percentage has declined from an NFL-best 7.0% to 4.2%. Purdy has thrown seven interceptions through seven games, a number he didn’t reach until Week 14 last season.

With Purdy likely in line for a contract extension after this season, there is increasing discussion around the price tag. Some believe he could join the league’s highest-paid players—perhaps even setting the standard. That would likely put him in the $60 million annual range, similar to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, whom the 49ers face on Sunday night.

La Canfora suggests that such a figure may be too high for a quarterback who is not universally regarded as elite. He proposes that the 49ers consider an alternative, possibly pursuing Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins—a longtime favorite of head coach Kyle Shanahan—as a “potential escape hatch” from a massive Purdy contract in 2025.

While Cousins signed with the Falcons this year, the team also drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. Cousins’ stats this season are comparable to Purdy’s, and his addition would offer some cap relief. However, Cousins will be 37 at the start of next season, while Purdy will be only 25. Making such a switch would force the 49ers to seek a long-term quarterback again.

One unnamed NFL personnel executive agrees with La Canfora’s view.

“I’m really trying to stay unbiased and not just be influenced by what I saw when I scouted him in college,” the executive told La Canfora. “But Kyle has to see what I see. You can win with him, with everything else being great around him, but you aren’t going to win because of him. The roster is getting older and beat up and the roster is going to slip once you pay him.

“You saw him slump last year when everything wasn’t perfect. You know how I feel about this one, and it’s on the film. He’s an elite backup to me, more than anything else. He’s a guy, he’s not the guy. … And I’m hearing the same thing you are about Cousins. I can absolutely see that. You can’t give this kid $50 or $60 million.”

Armed with the most cap space in the NFL, the 49ers are financially positioned to pay Purdy top dollar. However, doing so may mean moving on from other high-priced veterans. Thus far, the 49ers have built a strong roster and retained talent because of Purdy’s minimal cap impact.

An unnamed general manager told La Canfora that the 49ers might consider not paying Purdy next offseason, instead using the next two seasons to evaluate him further. Of course, if Purdy excels, his value will only increase.

“I’d be really careful about paying that kid,” the general manager said of Purdy. “Make him play out his fourth year and then franchise him. … Or, yeah, just go get Cousins. We’re seeing teams overpaying quarterbacks all over the place. I’d be scared to death to give him all that money.”