Only days before the NFL’s 53-man cutdown deadline in August, the quarterback now hailed as the San Francisco 49ers’ savior wasn’t even a sure bet to make their roster.
Brock Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, had to beat a well-liked veteran whom the 49ers had just paid lavishly to be their top backup.
On March 11, 2022, the 49ers all but anointed Nate Sudfeld as their No. 2 quarterback by giving him a fully guaranteed $2 million contract. At the time, the 49ers intended to trade incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo to save salary-cap space and pave the way for 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance to take over.