The NFL free agency period has started, and the quarterback market has been hit-or-miss, which is why some quarterback-needy teams are looking for quarterbacks in trades. One of those quarterbacks is the San Francisco 49ers' backup, Mac Jones, but it appears some teams have called about him, but the asking price is too high, leaving the market bare. It will be interesting to see which team makes a move for him.
Senior NFL insider for The Athletic, Dianna Russini, was the first to report that the 49ers were driving a hard bargain on teams that were interested in Jones. He had a bit of a bounce-back season from a career standpoint this past season because Brock Purdy was dealing with injuries, and he came in and steadied the ship.
It’s unclear exactly what San Francisco’s asking price might be, but some have speculated that the veteran quarterback could net the 49ers a second-round draft pick in a potential deal. If that is the case, it's no wonder that some teams have been put off by what the 49ers might want in exchange for Jones.
Both San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch have repeatedly stated their desire to hold on to Jones for the 2026 season, but have made it clear they will always listen to offers for their players.
“As any player on our team, including myself and John [Lynch], you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players,” Shanahan told reporters at his end-of-season press conference in January. “So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
The 49ers might be hedging their bets on what Jones does in free agency because if he signs a big contract in 2027 as a free agent, then they get a compensatory draft pick.
The added element in these negotiations is that Jones played well in place of Purdy after Purdy missed part of the regular season and appeared in only nine games. This could be San Francisco trying to hang on to Jones, with Purdy's health being a factor last season.
