The San Francisco 49ers are going to enter the 2026 season as one of the top teams in the NFL and they could beef up their roster even further by trading a talent coming off of one of his best years.
As Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton suggests in his piece regarding one player each NFL team should consider trading this offseason, Moton mentions none other than Niners backup quarterback Mac Jones.
Jones is coming off of his best year outside of his 2021 Pro Bowl campaign with the New England Patriots during his rookie season, helping the Niners clinch a playoff spot after starting eight games last season. The 27-year-old went 5-3 in his starts while posting a career-high 97.4 passer rating, 7.4 yards per attempt and a 69.6% completion rate.
It was a resurgent season for Jones, who had struggled drastically since his debut season with the Patriots. The former first-round draft pick had gone 10-22 from 2022 until 2024, which included a one-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars as their backup quarterback.
Moton said if the Niners are offered a second-round draft pick — which would obviously be a team desperate for a quarterback — the Niners should make the move.
“Moreover, Jones will be a free agent in 2027,” said Moton. “The 49ers could offer him a lucrative deal to stay, but he may want to find a starting job elsewhere. San Francisco committed to Purdy with a five-year, $265 million extension last offseason. If a team offers the 49ers a second-round pick for their backup signal-caller who’s in the final year of his contract, they should consider the deal.”
Why The 49ers Should Only Trade Mac Jones for the Right Offer
Jones signed a reworked deal in the offfseason, which includes $4.75 million guaranteed along with another $2.25 million in incentives as well.
The team’s starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, frequently deals with injuries and it’s a major reason why the Niners value having Jones on board as the backup quarterback. Since finishing the 2023 season as a Pro Bowler and an MVP finalist, Purdy has missed 10 games over the past two seasons.
Moton warns the Niners shouldn’t be “aggressive” in unloading Jones. They should wait for the right offer instead,
“Purdy has been banged up in the regular season and in the playoffs,” said Moton. “So, the 49ers shouldn’t be aggressive in an attempt to trade Jones.”
How Mac Jones Trade Could Give 49ers Missing Piece to Get Over Super Bowl Hump
With that being said, Jones’ value is never going to be higher than what it is now. Furthermore, Jones could still revive his career as a full-time starting quarterback by going elsewhere, as former Niners backup quarterback Sam Darnold recently did with the Seattle Seahawks, winning the Super Bowl this past season.
The Niners have been an annual playoff contender in the NFC since 2019, reaching the Super Bowl twice while going on multiple deep playoff runs. However, they’ve been unable to crack the glass ceiling in the Kyle Shanahan era as they look to win their first Super Bowl since 1994.
Receiving the right offer — it may be a player rather than a draft pick — could lead the Niners to consider trading Jones at some point this season before the trade deadline hits.
49ers Urged To Trade Former 27-Year-Old Pro Bowler Before 2026 Season