The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did something in a Week 4 loss to the Green Bay Packers that hadn’t been done in the modern era of the NFL when they started an undrafted free agent rookie quarterback in Jalon Daniels.
While starting Daniels was a direct result of starter Baker Mayfield’s thumb injury in Week 3, it’s more a result of the Buccaneers’ poor planning and utter disinterest in ensuring the most important position on the field had a solid backup over the last few years.
The result was no different from the first 3 games of the year, as Tampa Bay lost again to drop to 0-4.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes that the Buccaneers could still turn things around by trading for a quarterback who could “save their season”: San Francisco 49ers backup and former 1st-round pick Mac Jones.
Figuring Out Asking Price for 49ers QB Mac Jones
In Kay’s trade pitch, the Buccaneers would have to give up a conditional 2027 3rd-round pick for Jones, which would likely bump up to a 2nd-round pick if he makes a certain number of starts or starts a playoff game.
The New England Patriots selected Jones with a 1st-round pick (No. 15 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 49ers have reportedly told teams who have come calling about Jones that the price was a 2nd-round pick.
“With Jalon Daniels at the reins, the Bucs unsurprisingly collapsed in a must-win showdown against the Green Bay Packers,” Kay wrote on October 6. “The UDFA passer wasn’t utterly terrible, but he still looked raw in a 19-of-27 passing, one-touchdown, two-interception performance. Given how dire the situation has become leading up to Week 5, Tampa’s brass should call up the San Francisco 49ers and see what it will take to pry Mac Jones away. Jones was able to save the Niners’ 2025 season when Brock Purdy went down for an extended stretch in the opener, leading the team to five wins in his eight starts. If he could step in and help the Bucs string together a handful of victories while Mayfield is sidelined, the team would still have a shot in what looks to be another wide-open NFC South race.”
Mac Jones Tops List of NFL Trade Candidates
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put Jones at No. 1 on his list of potential NFL trade candidates headed into Week 3.
“Jones went 5-3 as a starter while throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2025,” Knox wrote. “He’s a terrific insurance policy for a team with championship aspirations, but he’s also set to be a 2027 free agent. He’s almost certain to depart for a starting opportunity next year, and at some point, offers for Jones may be too great to ignore. We’ve already seen a handful of starters go down with significant injuries, and there’s a good chance we’ll see more before the trade deadline. If the 49ers can leverage multiple suitors against one another, they might even be able to come away from a trade with an extra first-round pick.”
San Francisco 49ers Trade Pitch Sends QB Mac Jones to Winless Team