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The 49ers could reportedly still look to trade quarterback Mac Jones this season.
Mac Jones is back with the San Francisco 49ers. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll stay that way when the NFL season kicks off in a few months.
Recent reports suggested that the 49ers could still look to trade the prized backup quarterback if they’re satisfied with the development of 2025 seventh-round draft pick Kurtis Rourke.
“The 49ers were willing to trade QB Mac Jones before the draft, but no team met their reportedly steep asking price,” Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote. “If an injury to a starter prompts a team to pony up, would the 49ers deal Jones at some point before the trade deadline on Nov. 3? They likely would if Rourke, like (Brock) Purdy in 2022, resembles a seventh-round steal.”
49ers Shopping Jones During the NFL Draft
Jones stepped up in a pinch and started eight games last season in place of the injured Purdy. The 49ers went 5-3 in those starts, with Jones showing the abilities that made him a first-round pick in 2021.
The 27-year-old completed 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
At the start of the offseason, the 49ers resisted offers to trade Jones. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported that the team was seeking at least a first-round pick during draft weekend to pry the quarterback from the Bay Area.
“It really surprised me that no one came and offered something,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said, via ESPN. “And his value has probably already passed anyway.”
Jones’ Affordable Salary Could Entice Teams
Jones is slated to make $3.55 million in 2026 with the opportunity to earn another $2.25 million in incentives. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk speculates that his affordable salary could make him highly attractive to teams in need of help.
“A trade of Jones likely wouldn’t happen until some other team loses its starting quarterback to an injury,” Smith writes. “But that happens in the NFL every year, and when it happens this year, the 49ers may be ready to answer that team’s call.”
Douglas Bonjour is a breaking news contributor covering the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy. He is also a contributing writer for The Associated Press and has worked for Point Spreads, the Connecticut Post and Hearst Connecticut Media as a reporter and editor. More about Douglas Bonjour