The San Francisco 49ers have been busy this offseason, and for the most part, their work ahead of the 2026 campaign is done. However, there are still some players whose futures with the team are up in the air. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk obviously stands out from the pack, but backup quarterback Mac Jones also is a guy who could be on the move soon.
Jones did a remarkable job while filling in for Brock Purdy last season, and teams across the league have kept tabs on him over the past few months. The Niners haven’t exactly shopped Jones this offseason, and yet, while the team appears to be content to hold onto him for the time being, the expectation across the league is that he will still be traded in the near future.
Mac Jones Remains a Top Trade Target Across the NFL
Jones was selected with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, but he quickly flamed out with the team, even after earning a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. After getting traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the 2024 campaign, Jones spent a year with them before latching on with the Niners.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has a reputation for being able to repair quarterbacks. Before Jones showed up, he helped turn Sam Darnold into the guy who just led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship. And during his time on the field last season, Jones looked much more like a starting-caliber quarterback (201/289, 2,151 YDS, 13 TD, 6 INT).
San Fran signed Jones to a two-year contract last offseason, so with Purdy healthy entering the 2026 campaign, many folks figured the team would trade Jones. To this point, though, it has refused to do so, instead setting a very high asking price that has scared teams away. According to NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom, though, many folks around the league believe that the Niners will eventually trade Jones in an effort to keep pace in the NFC West division.
“49ers were never going to seriously entertain dealing Mac Jones this offseason, as team and league sources maintained to us throughout the winter,” La Canfora reported. “But there’s also nothing in his reworked contract with the 49ers that will preclude clubs from inquiring about him between now and the midseason trade deadline … Rival execs believe Jones could end up being a luxury to the 49ers by the deadline.”
Should the 49ers Trade Mac Jones?
GettyMac Jones #10 of the San Francisco 49ers
Jones is a valuable commodity, given that he showed the ability to lead a depleted San Francisco team to wins last year. However, considering how big a role injuries have played over the past few seasons for the 49ers, they can’t just get rid of Jones without having a plan at the quarterback position behind Purdy.
Of course, if the price is right, anybody can be traded, but nobody has given San Fran what it is looking for to this point. However, in a loaded division that also features the Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers may need all the help they can get, which is why it will eventually make sense to trade Jones (assuming that it doesn’t already).
Insider Issues Update on 49ers’ Mac Jones Trade Rumors