While this offseason the focus for the San Francisco 49ers in terms of in-house contracts is centered on tying down wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the long term, at some point in 2024 their front office will likely need to start mapping out what an extension for quarterback Brock Purdy will look like.

Purdy is entering what is expected to be his final 'cheap year'. The Niners' signal-caller is set to account for just 0.3 percent of San Francisco's cap in 2024, but the final pick in the 2022 draft becomes eligible for an extension next offseason.

Though he would still have one year left on his rookie deal, it is unlikely the 49ers will wait to start talks with the man who has gone from draft afterthought to the face of the franchise.

Speaking recently at the NFL's annual meetings, 49ers owner Jed York said he anticipates Purdy to "ask for something that no one has ever asked for before", indicating the quarterback's deal could reset the market.

York went on to label having a quarterback as one of the highest-paid players on the roster "a good problem to have", adding that those who play the most important position in the sport "should be paid a lot of money".

Purdy appreciates York's remarks, but speaking to Cam Inman of The Bay Area News Group, intimated that he still has a lot of work to do to earn a potentially record-setting contract despite delivering MVP-level production in his first full season as the starter and leading the 49ers to within one play of a Super Bowl victory.

"That's great, but for me, I still have to put in the work," Purdy said when asked about York's comments. 

"I have to win games for this organization, and I have to get better, starting here in OTAs. Everything will fall into place that it needs to, and that's how I'm looking at it. But I appreciate his kind words."

Purdy's 2023 was all the more impressive as it came after an offseason that he primarily spent rehabbing from surgery after tearing an elbow ligament in the previous season's NFC Championship Game.

So, now with the benefit of a full offseason, what progress is he looking to make to ensure he is worthy of that lucrative extension?

"Just taking the next step with the offense, the playbook, how Kyle sees things, how [QB coach Brian] Griese sees things," Purdy said. 

"I feel it's a language, in a sense, so how can I get even more familiar with it? Physically, I think about my mobility in general. Obviously with my arm, and then translating that to my hips and running and becoming a better athlete. There's another level to that.

"You look at guys when they enter the NFL, and they evolve as their career goes on. For me, it's taking that serious."

Purdy's response to questions about his contract exemplify why he is thought of so highly by his coaches and his teammates. There is no focus on any noise, even if it's emanating from the owner of the franchise. He is a player that recognizes that one season, regardless of how good it was, is not enough to make him deserving of being potentially the highest-paid player in the league and that he cannot rest on his laurels and expect the same results in 2024.

Constant improvement is what will be required for him to keep the 49ers, as stacked as their roster may be right now, competing for Super Bowls. The good news for the Niners is that, irrespective of how much they end up paying him, they have a quarterback in Purdy who is laser focused on making those consistent strides.

Brock Purdy gives Brandon Aiyuk message of support as speculation over 49ers future continues

They have a great connection.