SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A little more than three years removed from an NFC Championship Game appearance in which they ran out of healthy quarterbacks, the San Francisco 49ers know better than anyone the need for starting-caliber depth at the game’s most important position.
That idea was driven home further in 2025 when Mac Jones stepped in for injured starter Brock Purdy and kept the Niners firmly in the postseason mix until Purdy’s return. San Francisco went 5-3 in Jones’ starts and he finished with a 62.9 QBR, ninth best in the NFL.
On the heels of three disappointing seasons, Jones’ career resurgence served the dual purpose of helping the 49ers win and bolstering his value to the rest of the league.
“Mac made this place better,” general manager John Lynch said. “He was outstanding this season. He picked us up in a huge way and it was a really fun process to watch him come in and the joy that he was playing with. He’s got an infectious attitude that affects everybody on our team. It affected that quarterback room … He’s been an outstanding addition.”
The question that Jones’ bounce-back has wrought is whether he will be subtracted via trade to a team in need of a starting quarterback. On Feb. 8, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Niners “have no plans” to trade Jones and that they “fully intend” to bring him back as the No. 2 behind Purdy in 2026.
Considering how Jones fared filling in for Purdy last year as well as Purdy’s injury history — he has missed at least all or part of one or more games with an injury in every season except 2023 since entering the league in 2022 — keeping Jones for another season is an appealing option for the 49ers.
But as is always the case in such matters, the Niners’ commitment to keeping Jones is only as strong as the trade offers that teams may offer in the coming weeks. It’s a notion that was not lost on either party as they discussed the possibilities of a trade at Jones’ exit meeting after the season.
“Awesome conversations with him,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “As any player on our team, including myself and John, you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
What would it take for a team to sway the Niners off that position and deal Jones? The compensation would have to be worthwhile.
As it stands, Jones is scheduled to count just $3.07 million against next year’s salary cap with a base salary of just $1.4 million. If the Niners were to trade Jones, they’d eat $1.792 million in dead money with $1.278 million in salary cap savings.
A team acquiring Jones to start would be getting a bargain, but it would also be landing Jones at a time when his leverage is at its peak. If the 49ers let Jones have a say in his next destination and if he is looking for a contract extension with the trade, that may complicate things. Such a deal could make teams less likely to offer the 49ers the type of trade compensation they would want to part with Jones.
If Jones were to stay with the 49ers in 2026, have another solid season or even not play much, he would land a sizable contract as an unrestricted free agent in 2027. In that scenario, the Niners could be in line to get a third-round compensatory pick in 2028 for Jones, which makes that the baseline they’d need to soften their stance and trade him.
Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders traded a 93rd overall pick for then-34-year-old Geno Smith. It’s likely the 49ers would want an earlier Day 2 draft pick for Jones, 27.
“Like Kyle said, you always listen,” Lynch said. “But I know we’re a better football team with Mac Jones on our roster.”
A look around the NFL landscape would indicate there are plenty of teams that could come to the same conclusion. Among the teams that could be in the market for a quarterback depending on various other factors: the Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons.
The Raiders are expected to take Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft but there are no other obvious top QB options. The free agent market also lacks proven commodities. The Colts are expected to keep Daniel Jones but if he hits the open market, he’d join Malik Willis as the best available options.
From there, veterans such as Russell Wilson, Marcus Mariota and Tyrod Taylor are scheduled for free agency. And there are others, such as Arizona’s Kyler Murray and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa who are candidates to be traded or released.
Among those who could be in need of a quarterback, Jones would make the most sense in Minnesota, Miami and Arizona, all of whom employ head coaches or offensive coordinators with a background running at least a version of Shanahan’s offensive scheme.
While Jones won’t have full say in a potential trade, his relationship with the Niners is strong enough that if multiple offers were on the table, he’d get some say in where he lands. And it’s a safe bet that his preference would be to land in a place that most closely resembles what he’s had in San Francisco both culturally and in terms of offensive system.
“I think this year was just awesome for me to be around these guys and the coaches, players, everybody,” Jones said in January. “It was just so fun to get, as I say, the train back on the tracks and that’s what I wanted to do. So put a lot of good film out there… Had a lot of fun and excited for what’s next… I do believe I’m a starter in this league and I’m excited for continuing to get better this offseason and see what happens.”
And if nothing happens and Jones remains in San Francisco?
“That’s why I came here knowing that I wanted to be around Kyle and such a great system and knowing that it was a good fit for me,” Jones said. “I love the guys here and that would be fun.”
