Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers’ signing Mac Jones to a two-year deal may prove to be one of the more prescient deals they’ve signed to date.
Jones started every game from Weeks 2 through 10, save Week 4, and kept the 49ers team afloat and alive in the playoff race. He went 5-3, which was better than anyone could’ve imagined, and certainly a step up from any other iteration of backups the Niners have played for a long stretch under Kyle Shanahan.
Of course, the 49ers need to be sure Brock Purdy is fully recovered from a turf toe injury that kept him out for much of the first half. While he’s technically under contract through the 2030 season, if the 49ers are unhappy with Purdy’s play or injuries at any point before April 1, 2027, they can get out of his contract.
But when you look at how smoothly the offense ran in Week 11 and how every player involved offensively talks about Purdy, it’s apparent he is the franchise quarterback for this team. And that makes Mac Jones somewhat expendable.
Jones will likely be the Sam Darnold of the 2026 offseason. If you’ve been watching college football, you know that most of the quarterbacks who entered this season with lofty draft statuses might return to school after disappointing seasons.
Every year, there are a handful of quarterback-needy teams. Some want to win now, while others need a Band-Aid to hold them over until the next draft.
Teams like the browns, Jets, Raiders, Dolphins, Steelers, and Vikings all figure to be in the quarterback market to some capacity. Others like the Saints, Rams, Cardinals, Jaguars, and Colts could find themselves wanting a signal-caller, too.
The Saints invested a second-round pick in Tyler Shough in the ’25 draft, but that’s a sign that he’s hardly the long-term answer. Cleveland needs a franchise quarterback, but there may not be any available. Same with the Jets, Raiders, and Dolphins.
Getting a first-round pick for Jones feels like a long shot. The same is true for a second-rounder, since Jones only has one year left on his deal. But a third-round pick is feasible for a starting quarterback. It’d be nice if the 49ers could get one at the top of the third round.
As each week passes, Jones gains more and more value, even without playing. The Jets benched Justin Fields for Tyrod Taylor. Shocking, I know.
But where Jones might be most valuable is for teams like the Vikings or Steelers. Aaron Rodgers is on the wrong side of...
