- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,151,498
- Reaction score
- 59
It looks like the trade market may dictate that the San Francisco 49ers hold on to backup quarterback Mac Jones. This may ultimately be the best outcome for the team.
Jones' performance in eight starts for the 49ers last season put him back on the map as a potential NFL starter. Given the need for quality starting QB play in the league it appeared Jones would have a robust trade market entering the second year of a two-year, $8.4 million contract he signed with San Francisco last offseason. Sam Darnold winning the Super Bowl as the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback after kickstarting his career revival with the 49ers added fuel to the rumors that Jones would be a valuable offseason commodity.
With the first wave of free agency down it doesn't seem as though Jones will be traded.
Kyler Murray filled the opening in Minnesota. Malik Willis signed with the Miami Dolphins. Geno Smith rejoined the New York Jets in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. The teams in need of a player like Jones are rapidly dwindling, which suppresses his trade market and in turn decreases the likelihood the 49ers are going to get what they're looking for in exchange for their backup QB.
This may actually be the preferred outcome for them.
Brock Purdy is the franchise QB, but his injury history and the 49ers' experience with QB injuries should motivate the club to have high-level backups whenever possible. Jones established himself as that after going 5-3 in eight starts with a career-high 69.6 percent completion rate and a career-high 7.4 yards per attempt. He also tossed 13 touchdowns against six interceptions.
Having a player like that behind Purdy who was hurt in the 2022 NFC championship game, banged up at the end of the 2024 season with an elbow injury, and then missed eight games because of a toe injury in 2025, could be the difference between San Francisco making and missing the playoffs. It certainly was last season.
If the 49ers trade Jones they would benefit from having an additional draft pick. They don't have a selection after Round 4 and bringing in another mid-round pick to address one of their slew of remaining needs would help in the short and long-term.
However, the backup duties if Jones is traded will likely fall to second-year seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke who spent most of last season on the Non-Football Injury list while recovering from offseason ACL surgery. A position this important for San Francisco falling to a former seventh-round pick who will ostensibly be a rookie in 2026 would put them in a precarious spot. The option beyond Rourke would likely be a Joe Flacco or Tyrod Taylor type of veteran. Flacco and Taylor are capable backups, but it's hard to envision either being as effective as Jones was a season ago.
There's still a chance a team looks at its QB situation and decides to pony up the draft capital necessary to pry Jones away from San Francisco − a price one report described as "astronomical." However, as free agency shakes out and the NFL draft approaches, the likelihood of Jones being moved decreases. And that may be the best-case scenario for the 49ers.
More 49ers: Why 49ers have to decide on Trent Williams' future this week
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL trade rumors: No Mac Jones deal may be good news for 49ers
Continue reading...
Jones' performance in eight starts for the 49ers last season put him back on the map as a potential NFL starter. Given the need for quality starting QB play in the league it appeared Jones would have a robust trade market entering the second year of a two-year, $8.4 million contract he signed with San Francisco last offseason. Sam Darnold winning the Super Bowl as the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback after kickstarting his career revival with the 49ers added fuel to the rumors that Jones would be a valuable offseason commodity.
With the first wave of free agency down it doesn't seem as though Jones will be traded.
Kyler Murray filled the opening in Minnesota. Malik Willis signed with the Miami Dolphins. Geno Smith rejoined the New York Jets in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. The teams in need of a player like Jones are rapidly dwindling, which suppresses his trade market and in turn decreases the likelihood the 49ers are going to get what they're looking for in exchange for their backup QB.
This may actually be the preferred outcome for them.
Brock Purdy is the franchise QB, but his injury history and the 49ers' experience with QB injuries should motivate the club to have high-level backups whenever possible. Jones established himself as that after going 5-3 in eight starts with a career-high 69.6 percent completion rate and a career-high 7.4 yards per attempt. He also tossed 13 touchdowns against six interceptions.
Having a player like that behind Purdy who was hurt in the 2022 NFC championship game, banged up at the end of the 2024 season with an elbow injury, and then missed eight games because of a toe injury in 2025, could be the difference between San Francisco making and missing the playoffs. It certainly was last season.
If the 49ers trade Jones they would benefit from having an additional draft pick. They don't have a selection after Round 4 and bringing in another mid-round pick to address one of their slew of remaining needs would help in the short and long-term.
However, the backup duties if Jones is traded will likely fall to second-year seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke who spent most of last season on the Non-Football Injury list while recovering from offseason ACL surgery. A position this important for San Francisco falling to a former seventh-round pick who will ostensibly be a rookie in 2026 would put them in a precarious spot. The option beyond Rourke would likely be a Joe Flacco or Tyrod Taylor type of veteran. Flacco and Taylor are capable backups, but it's hard to envision either being as effective as Jones was a season ago.
There's still a chance a team looks at its QB situation and decides to pony up the draft capital necessary to pry Jones away from San Francisco − a price one report described as "astronomical." However, as free agency shakes out and the NFL draft approaches, the likelihood of Jones being moved decreases. And that may be the best-case scenario for the 49ers.
More 49ers: Why 49ers have to decide on Trent Williams' future this week
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL trade rumors: No Mac Jones deal may be good news for 49ers
Continue reading...
