The San Francisco 49ers are 6-0, but could they look to move a piece rather than add one? Mac Jones is a valuable piece for the Niners, as any team that doesn’t want to throw in the towel on this season could call for San Francisco regarding the backup QB.
One potential team that would be a trade fit for Jones is the Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in the quarterback’s lungs, per ESPN.
As a result, could the Eagles look for a QB as insurance ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline? In an Oct. 20 article, Justin Carter of FanSided floated that Jones would make sense for the Eagles. As part of the trade idea, Carter has Philadelphia giving up a second-round pick for Jones.
“I don’t think trading for Mac Jones is in the best long-term interest of the Philadelphia Eagles,” Carter wrote. “It gets them closer to contending for the NFC East this season, and because this team does not seem to believe in rebuilding, it’s a move Philly would definitely make, but it also reeks a bit too much of desperation.
“It’s an example of sacrificing the future for the present, but the present probably isn’t bright enough that you should give up a second-round pick for Jones.”
Why Would the 49ers Consider Trading Away Mac Jones?
As for why the Niners would make a trade involving Jones, the backup QB is a free agent after the season, so this might be the last chance that the team can get value for the signal caller.
“Jones is a free agent this offseason and his play last season was good enough for him to at least seek out a team where he has a chance to compete for a starting job,” Carter added in his article. “That’s not San Francisco.
“Sure, if Purdy goes down, the team would have to turn to Kurtis Rourke, but I’m a firm believer that as long as a Purdy injury isn’t season-ending, Kyle Shanahan can survive with Rourke in the short term.”
Could the Niners Reunite With DeForest Buckner?
When it comes to names that the 49ers could pursue, one potential name in the trade speculation conversation is Indianapolis Colts‘ DeForest Buckner. Moreover, Buckner expressed his frustration after the Colts’ loss to the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 18.
“I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,” Buckner told reporters.
These comments and the trade deadline nearing are causing conversation about whether the veteran can be a serious trade target for the team he played for from 2016 to 2019. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan notes that the Niners have the cap space to make a move for Buckner.
“Could the 49ers work it out? Could they get him for half a season? I don’t know,” Lee Chan said in an Oct. 18 livestream on her YouTube channel. “I would think so. Why not? DeForest Buckner is one of the most solid players you’ll ever see. He’s entirely team-oriented; he’s a workhorse. He’s a pillar of a locker room.
“… Why wouldn’t it be likely? Why wouldn’t DeForest Buckner want to come? I don’t know what the Colts would want this year. [Buckner has] $23 million in remaining cash. The cap number for DeForest this year is $26.6 million. So, salary-wise, the 49ers have cap space; they have room. They plan ahead, so they have room. They could make it happen.”
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