With Brock Purdy sidelined by turf toe for much of the 2025 season, the 49ers have had to lean on Mac Jones, and the former first-round pick has delivered.
Over seven starts, Jones has a 5–2 record and has thrown for 1,832 yards with 10 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 61.2 QBR. Some think that’s good enough to put him in potential starting-QB territory. But since the Niners already have a $265 million commitment to Purdy, Jones would have to be traded in order to compete for a starting role.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports thinks that’s absolutely feasible in 2026.
“Keep an eye on Mac Jones,” Jones wrote on November 8. “He signed a two-year deal worth $8.4 million with the 49ers this past offseason in large part because of the instability he had experienced already in his career. But this was always the risk he ran by doing that. Jones has outperformed his contract already with five wins on the season, and he has a base salary of just $2.8 million next year. The Niners have no reason to trade Jones for anything less than a Day 2 pick. If they do deal him this offseason, you could expect them to do Jones a solid and make sure he goes somewhere ready to give him a legitimate contract extension.”
Why the San Francisco 49ers Could Trade QB Mac Jones in 2026
GettyTrading QB Mac Jones is definitely on the table for the San Francisco 49ers in 2026.
Jones is only 27 and, as Jones noted, came to San Francisco on a very modest deal. If San Francisco could get a decent return for Jones from a QB-needy squad next year, why not do it?
There will very likely be teams calling. The Jets, Raiders, Dolphins, Cardinals and Browns will probably all be in the market for a new starting QB in 2026, and the Rams and potentially Panthers could, too. With Jones showing proof he can run Kyle Shanahan’s offense week by week, it makes sense he’d have some suitors. Plus, it’d be a pretty great story if Jones had a redemption arc.
“Everyone loves a quarterback redemption story in the NFL these days after what we have seen from Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones. Jones is enjoying his turn at it,” CBS Sports’ Jones also noted.
Which Teams Might Be Interested in Jones Next Season?
So, where could Jones actually win a job? The Jets could be a good fit. Their defense is too good to waste on week-to-week uncertainty, and their defensive-minded head coach Aaron Glenn might be open to having a guy like Jones leading the offense.
The Raiders also make sense, as they’re likely going to part with Geno Smith at season’s end. With Ashton Jeanty, Jones would have a solid run game the way he does in San Francisco, and he’d have one of the NFL’s best tight ends in Brock Bowers.
He could have a path to a starting role in New Orleans, too. The Saints are auditioning rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough the remainder of this season, but who knows how that’ll turn out? If Shough stumbles, Jones could be an option for Kellan Moore and company.
Half-dozen other teams might also consider Jones depending on injuries or potential retirements (that’s why we think the Rams could be a sneaky option if Matt Stafford retires). We’ll see how it plays out, but based on his performance so far in 2025, Jones is a viable trade candidate for the 49ers in 2026,
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Insider Adds New Wrinkle to Mac Jones Trade Rumors appeared first on Heavy Sports.