Mac Jones may still be a trade candidate for the San Francisco 49ers, but the reality is not as simple as another team wanting an experienced quarterback.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano listed Jones among early 2026 NFL trade-deadline names to watch, noting that the former first-round pick could make sense for a contender that suffers a significant quarterback injury or finds itself unsatisfied with its current options. Graziano also noted that the 49ers have told teams this offseason they value Jones and are not looking to trade him.
That is the key tension for San Francisco before the season: Jones is more valuable as a backup than most No. 2 quarterbacks, and the 49ers already saw why in 2025.
Jones started eight games last season while Brock Purdy dealt with injury issues, helping San Francisco stay afloat in the NFC West. The 49ers’ official stats credited Jones with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, six interceptions, a 69.6% completion rate and a 97.4 passer rating in 2025. Purdy finished with 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 100.5 passer rating.
That does not create a quarterback controversy. Purdy is the starter. But it does explain why the 49ers’ asking price would likely be uncomfortable for another team.
Mac Jones Trade Would Require More Than Fair Value
Jones is not expensive by quarterback standards. Spotrac lists him on a two-year, $8.41 million deal with a 2026 cap hit of $3.07 million and unrestricted free agency scheduled for 2027.
That contract is part of what makes him interesting around the league. A team with a playoff roster and a sudden quarterback problem would not have to absorb a major salary to add him. Graziano specifically pointed to contenders with quarterback uncertainty or injury scenarios as the type of situation that could change the math.
But that same bargain contract is also why San Francisco has little reason to move him for a modest return.
The 49ers are not trying to clear a major salary. They are not trying to move off a player buried on the depth chart. They are holding a backup quarterback who already proved he can keep a Shanahan offense functional for a long stretch of the season.
That is why “trade candidate” does not mean “available.”
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch reported that the 49ers rewarded Jones with a $300,000 roster bonus after his fill-in work last season, and Branch wrote that Jones “would have preferred a trade” but instead remained in San Francisco. The same report noted Kyle Shanahan was surprised there was not more trade interest in Jones before the draft.
Shanahan’s comments were revealing. He said on KNBR that he would have been “sick” if the 49ers had lost Jones and added that the team understood “how good of a quarterback he is,” according to the Chronicle.
That is not the language of a team eager to move its backup quarterback for a mid-round pick.
The 49ers’ Mac Jones Decision Is About Brock Purdy, Too
The 49ers’ decision on Jones is ultimately tied to Purdy.
San Francisco has Super Bowl expectations when healthy, and the 2025 season gave the team a live example of how quickly a quarterback injury can alter the year. Jones did not merely hold a clipboard. He played enough for San Francisco to evaluate what its offense looks like when Purdy is unavailable.
For a team with Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Mike Evans, they’re a roster built to win now, which means the backup quarterback spot is not a luxury. It is part of the playoff plan.
That is what makes Graziano’s trade-deadline framing realistic but narrow.
If a contender loses its starter and offers the 49ers a return that feels closer to starter-insurance pricing than backup-QB pricing, San Francisco would have to listen. A desperate team running a Shanahan-style system would have reason to believe Jones could step in quickly, especially given his 2025 efficiency.
But absent that kind of overpay, the 49ers’ best move may be to keep him and accept the risk that he leaves in free agency after the season.
Jones can help San Francisco in two ways. He can protect the 49ers if Purdy misses time. Or he can become a trade chip if another team’s season gets thrown into chaos.
The reality before the season is that the first value is probably worth more to the 49ers than the second, unless another team makes the decision obvious.
49ers Hit With Mac Jones Trade Reality Before Season