Dominick Puni's selection in 2024 NFL Draft could play a role in 49ers' approach to Brock Purdy extension

It's no secret that Brock Purdy is likely to get a lot more expensive for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025.

Assuming Purdy continues to perform to the same standard he produced in a spectacular 2023 season, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback will receive a contract extension to make him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

That will mean the 49ers having to make savings elsewhere and parting with some key players.

San Francisco's 2024 draft appeared to be, at least in part, geared towards setting the 49ers up to absorb those potential departures. The 49ers drafted wide receiver Ricky Pearsall 31st overall and, though talk of a trade of Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel as a result proved off-base, his selection and that of fourth-rounder Jacob Cowing may have been made with an eye on Samuel's possible 2025 exit.

The pick of Renardo Green in the second round was one that clearly pointed to the 49ers drafting a year ahead, with starting cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir both bound for free agency next offseason.

Compared to the likes of Samuel, Ward and Lenoir, center Jake Brendel's future is unlikely to attract much attention. Brendel signed a four-year extension last offseason after a solid first season as the starting center, but the 49ers can make a saving, albeit a small one, by moving on from him next offseason.

Indeed, the 49ers could designate Brendel a post-June 1 cut in 2025 and save $3.76 million against the cap with a dead money charge of $682,000.

That might not seem like a significant saving to make, especially with the cap going up on year on year.

But, with the 49ers potentially set to perform a delicate balancing act in paying Purdy a deal at the top of the market while hanging on to as many key players as possible, it is a saving that could prove extremely useful.

And it is one that could be facilitated by the versatility of Puni, whom the 49ers believe has five-position upside at the next level.

Asked in his post-draft press conference about where the 49ers envisage him playing and what his preference is, Puni replied: "They saw me more as an interior. So, guard, center, being able to help out inside. Tackle, if needed in a pinch.

"I had a whole spring ball at center in 2022. So, every practice I played in spring ball. That really helped me at the Senior Bowl to play center too. I feel really comfortable snapping the ball. I did it against the best competition in college. So, I’m very comfortable with it.”

That comfort level at center could put Puni in an excellent position to succeed Brendel as the long-term starter. The relationship between the center and quarterback is critical for an offense to succeed but, given he already has some experience in the role, the Niners may feel more emboldened to make the switch from Brendel to Puni once he gets a year of seasoning under his belt.

In an ideal world for the 49ers, Puni would challenge veteran Jon Feliciano for the right guard spot right off the bat as a rookie but, for a prospect whose versatility was his primary selling point, Puni's best path to a long-term role on the O-Line may be at center.

With Brendel entering his age-33 season in 2025, that would allow the 49ers to get significantly younger (Puni will be 25) at a position of underrated importance and save some money in an offseason in which every dollar will count. Puni's selection wasn't a headline grabber, but it could have a not insignificant role to play in the Niners succeeding in that balancing act as Purdy's contract becomes substantially more onerous.