A pair of 49ers late-round picks received sizable seven-figure bonuses.
A pair of San Francisco 49ers players received some great news on Monday. The NFL released a list of the top 25 performance-based pay distributions for the 2023 season and Niners quarterback Brock Purdy and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir each made the list. A creation of the CBA, the NFL has a pool of money each year that is given out to players on their rookie contracts who were taken later in the draft based on a formula that incorporates draft position and playing time.
While Purdy’s status as a Pro Bowl starting quarterback on an NFC Champion would easily make him the most prominent late-round pick in recent years, Purdy only received the 24th-largest bonus ($739,795). Since the formula is not waited by position, Purdy’s playing time under center is treated the same as any other position. Moreover, original draft position does play a role in the formula, working against Purdy, who was the last pick in the draft. Nevertheless, the bonus nearly doubles the Iowa State product’s base salary last season of $870,000.
Lenoir, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft, was a starter at corner for the 49ers in all 17 games, but also benefited from taking the field on 15% of the team’s special team snaps as well. The Oregon product, Lenoir recorded 84 tackles, 10 passes defended, 3 interceptions, and a tackle for loss. His $790,744 bonus was the 14th-best in the league. Lenoir’s base salary in 2023 was $940,000.
It’s no secret that the 49ers have had an incredible amount of success on late-round draft picks during Kyle Shanahan’s tenure. While late-round picks who become starters on rookie contracts are still significantly underpaid, the NFL’s performance bonuses do make a small dent in making up some of the difference.
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