The San Francisco 49ers have some pretty big decisions to make this offseason after losing in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks. One of them is what to do with backup quarterback Mac Jones.
Jones played very well this season when starter Brock Purdy missed eight games due to a toe injury. He ended up posting 2,151 passing yards on a 69.6% completion rate, 13 touchdown passes and a 97.4 passer rating, and in doing so, he rehabbed his reputation across the league.
There have been trade rumors involving Jones ever since the middle of this season, and it has been thought that a number of teams will be looking to acquire him this offseason. But according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the 49ers are currently looking to keep Jones in the Bay.
“For teams looking to swing a deal for 49ers backup QB Mac Jones, I’m told San Francisco is not looking to part with the 2021 first-rounder. Things and offers can change, but the 49ers’ preference is to keep their Brock Purdy-Jones tandem intact for 2026. Jones’ 5-3 record as a starter amid the team’s major injury struggles helped keep San Francisco afloat, and Kyle Shanahan loves what he has in the 27-year-old.”
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After starring at the University of Alabama and leading the Crimson Tide to the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship, Jones was the No. 15 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Ironically, the Niners, who had the No. 3 pick that year, were reportedly interested in him, but they went with Trey Lance instead.
Jones made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and led the rebuilding Patriots to the playoffs. But over the next three seasons, his production declined precipitously, and plenty of people started to feel he was nothing more than a flash in the pan.
But Jones played so well this season in Purdy’s absence that before Purdy was cleared to return, there was even talk of a quarterback controversy. Quite a few pundits suggested that San Francisco would be better off with Jones continuing to start over Purdy, although that’s not exactly what happened.
It is always possible that Jones has merely been a beneficiary of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense and that he would not be nearly as viable a signal-caller on another team. But at least for now, he is poised to ride shotgun and stay ready in case Purdy, who mostly played excellent football this season when healthy, gets injured again.
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Jones is currently under contract for one more season with a salary cap hit of nearly $4 million, according to spotrac.com. Whether they keep him or trade him, the 49ers need help on their defensive line and at the wide receiver position, and they could also use some help for the interior of their offensive line.
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