Sportsnaut
A down year helped the San Francisco 49ers land higher in the order for the 2025 NFL Draft, allowing them to net a player of Mykel Williams’ caliber. This year the 49ers appear poised to return to the playoffs, which naturally will drop them in the draft order.
That means 49ers general manager John Lynch will have to get more creative to help the 49ers emerge with another strong class of prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. One way to do so could be by trading a player who’s thriving, especially if they’re on an expiring contract.
That’s where the 49ers will be with Mac Jones this offseason, who’s improved his trade value with an eight-game stretch of strong play, leading San Francisco to a 5-3 record.
Surely, teams will have interest in a quarterback who has proven he can win at the highest level. But what could the 49ers get in exchange for Jones?
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently answered that question in a mailbag, stating his belief that the 49ers could land a Day 2 pick in 2026 and possibly a “conditional” Day 3 pick in 2027 too.
Would that be enough for Lynch and Kyle Shanahan to move away from their QB security blanket who’s already helped the team so much? Perhaps they would, knowing it could help set up a better overall roster, while placing Jones in another position where he could succeed, like possibly even in Minnesota.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Week 13 Edition
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