The San Francisco 49ers have a valuable trade piece in backup QB Mac Jones. Two weeks into the 2026 NFL season, starters like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Jaxson Dart are injured, or a team is getting poor play at the position, as with the Atlanta Falcons.
As a result, the trade speculation has begun, and one of the QBs in the conversation is 49ers backup Mac Jones. With Brock Purdy starting great through two games, it’s clear that Jones is the backup. However, the Niners only have Jones under contract for this season.
Because of that, could San Francisco be open to trading Jones to a team desperate for a QB? Mark Willard of 95.7 The Game believes the Niners should at least take calls to see what teams are willing to offer.
“I hope that the 49ers can keep Mac Jones, but yes, you would be open to listening,” Willard said in a Sept. 22 video from 95.7 The Game. “… Usually, trades at the trade deadline are not player-for-player in the NFL. It’s usually a pick for a player.
“So I get that. But if there’s a team that has really arrived at a position of need and they’re desperate and they’re willing to overpay, and you could, for instance, get a pick and a player or whatever in return, I’d sure be open to it. And the reason is simply this: He’s a free agent, so he’s going to be gone after this year one way or another.”
49ers Can Afford to Trade Mac Jones If the Offer Is Right
Furthermore, Willard notes that the Niners are likely to lose Jones this upcoming offseason, with the backup probably looking to be a starter. Since joining the 49ers in 2025, Jones has a passer rating of 97.4 with 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in 12 games, per StatMuse.
“I would think he’s going to want to go somewhere where he’s got a better opportunity to play,” Willard added. “You’re going to lose him. Essentially, the idea of holding on to him at the deadline is simply holding on to him for the last third or last half of the season, and I would only do that if I were firmly in the camp that Mac can win the 49ers a Super Bowl, and I’m not.
“I don’t think that he can. I think the drop-off is enough that the Niners go from contender to not if they lose Brock Purdy and go to Mac Jones. So why would I need Mac Jones for those last handful of games unless I really thought he could win the Super Bowl again? I’d like him. I think they will keep him. But if the right call comes along, boy, I’d stay open-minded because, to me, that’s you coming from a place of fear if you won’t do that.”
Giants, Niners Handed Compelling Mac Jones Trade Idea
Cody Williams of FanSided contributed to the Jones speculation by proposing a trade idea involving the New York Giants and the 49ers after Jaxson Dart’s injury. In a Sept. 22 article, Williams’ pitch would see the Niners send Jones and a 2028 fifth-round pick to the Giants in exchange for a 2027 third-round Pick and a 2028 third-round pick.
“If the Giants are keen on trying to save this season under a brand-new coaching regime and with still a lot of talent and promise throughout this roster, then perhaps they could get aggressive by sending a pair of third-round picks to the 49ers in this deal,” Williams wrote.
“That’s not an overly prohibitive cost, even it is a meaningful return for San Francisco. But the ultimate outcome is exactly what New York should be hoping for: stability at quarterback with Dart out of action.”
49ers Get Strong Mac Jones Verdict Amid Trade Speculation