The Seattle Seahawks received encouraging initial news on Sam Darnold’s injured hip, but their season opener also delivered a reminder of how quickly a championship defense can be compromised by uncertainty at quarterback.
If Seattle wants to buy a higher level of insurance behind Darnold, general manager John Schneider should make an uncomfortable call inside the NFC West: Ask the San Francisco 49ers what it would take to acquire Mac Jones.
Here is one trade pitch worth considering:
Seahawks receive: QB Mac Jones
49ers receive: 2027 third-round pick that becomes a second-rounder if Jones starts eight games for Seattle
It would be an expensive way to upgrade a backup spot, particularly after Drew Lock helped Seattle rally for a 13-10 win over the New England Patriots. But Jones isn’t a typical backup quarterback, either.
Darnold exited Seattle’s opener with a right hip injury after being sacked by defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones. Initial X-rays and a CT scan showed no fracture, and head coach Mike Macdonald called that development “great news.” Darnold was nevertheless scheduled for an MRI on September 10 to determine the extent of the injury.
That uncertainty creates the argument for Seattle to be aggressive.
Sam Darnold Injury: Mac Jones Would Give Seahawks Proven Starting Insurance
Jones spent much of the offseason as one of the most intriguing quarterbacks who could conceivably become available.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in February that San Francisco had no plans to trade Jones, while ESPN’s Rich Cimini later wrote that Jones probably had the most upside among a group of potentially available veteran quarterbacks and that acquiring him could require at least a second-round pick.
There is a reason for that price.
With Brock Purdy sidelined for stretches of 2025, Jones started eight games for San Francisco and went 5-3. He completed a career-best 69.6% of his passes and finished the season with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in 11 appearances.
Pro Football Network ranked Jones as the NFL’s No. 1 backup entering the 2026 season, while CBS Sports also placed San Francisco among the league’s strongest backup-quarterback situations.
Seattle already has a capable veteran in Lock, who completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown after replacing Darnold against New England. Jalen Milroe gives the Seahawks another developmental option behind him.
Trading for Jones, therefore, wouldn’t be about finding someone capable of taking a snap.
It would be about raising the floor if Darnold were forced to miss an extended stretch.
49ers Would Have Little Reason to Help Seattle
The biggest problem with the proposal is also what makes it interesting.
San Francisco knows exactly how valuable Jones can be. Purdy missed eight games with a turf-toe injury last season, and the 49ers currently list Jones second and Kurtis Rourke third on their quarterback depth chart.
The 49ers also reworked Jones’ contract in May. Reports in May said that the revised 2026 agreement included a $3.55 million base salary, a $300,000 roster bonus and as much as $2.25 million in incentives. He can become a free agent after the season.
San Francisco would consequently be surrendering both valuable quarterback insurance and potentially strengthening a direct division rival.
That is why a conditional third-round pick makes sense only if Seattle is willing to let it escalate.
If Jones merely spends the season as Darnold’s backup, the Seahawks preserve their second-rounder. If Darnold’s injury turns out to be significant and Jones starts eight games, San Francisco receives premium compensation for having supplied Seattle with an actual starting quarterback.
The 49ers could still reject it. They resisted Jones trade interest throughout the offseason, and Jones said in June that he was happy in San Francisco despite persistent speculation about his future.
Seattle should make them say no anyway.
Lock showed against New England that the Seahawks aren’t desperate. That actually gives Schneider leverage to approach the situation selectively rather than overreact to Darnold’s injury.
But for a team trying to defend a championship, Jones offers something few backups can: recent evidence that he can take over a contender and keep it winning.
If Darnold’s MRI creates any doubt about his availability beyond the short term, that kind of insurance may be worth paying a division rival to obtain.
Seahawks Trade Pitch Lands Sam Darnold Injury Insurance From Division Rival