Mac Jones has shown with the San Francisco 49ers that, in the right situation, he can be an NFL starting quarterback. His time in the Bay Area, stepping in for starter Brock Purdy, has reshaped the perception of the Alabama product as more than just a backup.
Jones has a passer rating of 97.4, with 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions in nine games this season, per StatMuse. Moreover, the former New England Patriots quarterback is under contract for another season.
Heading into the offseason, NFL teams that need a quarterback and don’t have the patience to draft and develop one could be calling the Niners about Jones. The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami shared what he believes the 49ers would want in a trade.
“It would be quite the luxury for the 49ers to have two starting-level quarterbacks next season, but with the league-wide shortage at this position, I think the 49ers would be best served to trade Jones to the highest bidder (which also would almost certainly be one that would give him every shot at a starting spot),” Kawakami wrote in his column published on November 19.
“… If I was the 49ers in a Jones market, I’d try to get a Day 2 pick (a third-rounder that could move up to a No. 2 if Jones starts most of the 2026 season for his new team), and then aim to use that extra asset to move up in the first round to target a stud receiver or defensive tackle in the middle of the first round. That’s one way to get a star.”
Vikings Linked to 49ers QB Mac Jones
On November 19, NBC Sports’ Mike Florio reported that the Minnesota Vikings are one team that could be looking at Jones this offseason.
“There’s already chatter in some circles that, in the 2026 offseason, the Vikings will explore trading for 49ers quarterback Mac Jones,” Florio wrote.
A veteran presence might be valuable for the Vikings, challenging J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. The top-10 pick in 2024 hasn’t done enough to have the presumed starter role next season. An actual competition could force the issue, getting McCarthy to make the improvements that the Vikings want to see, or else.
Should the 49ers Trade Mac Jones?
On November 18, NFL analyst Brian Baldinger spoke on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game, responding to a common fan question: Would the 49ers consider trading Jones for the right offer, such as a Day 2 draft pick?
“I’m not taking the second-round pick,” Baldinger said (h/t 49ers Web Zone). “Mac Jones just kept them in playoff contention. What other guy is going to do that right now, in the whole league? What other guy is going to keep that—especially when you’re losing Fred [Warner] and Nick [Bosa]? I’m not letting that guy out of my building.”
Baldinger also questioned whether Jones should even want to leave San Francisco. While the quarterback struggled elsewhere, he’s found success in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
“This is a good situation for him,” Baldinger added. “We’ve seen quarterbacks go down under Kyle’s offense—not for Kyle’s reason—but we’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks get hurt here in San Francisco. I’m not letting that guy out of my building. I don’t care what they offer me.”
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