The San Francisco 49ers have an enviable quarterback room. The team has one of the better starting quarterbacks in Brock Purdy, and one of the best backups in Mac Jones.
Jones is a former first-round pick who has plenty of starting experience under his belt. The Alabama product joined the 49ers ahead of the 2025 season and his addition ended up being a crucial one for the team.
Purdy had to miss time in 2025, so Jones ended up getting eight starts. The quarterback more than kept the team afloat, as he threw for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Jones thrived in Kyle Shanahan's offense and proved he's more than capable of starting in this league.
The thing is, Jones will soon be a free agent. Are the 49ers realistically going to be able to keep him around? That seems very unlikely, which means the team is going to have make a tough decision soon.
49ers Urged to Trade Jones
The 49ers undoubtedly love having Jones around as an insurance policy. With a team as snakebitten by injuries as the 49ers have been, it's nice to have a quality backup wherever you can.
Jones is due for a massive raise on his next contract, though. It's also likely that the quarterback wants to start again, and the 49ers offer no path to a starting role.
As a result, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report thinks the 49ers should go ahead and trade Jones. Knox offered the following analysis on Jones and the 49ers:
"While keeping the 27-year-old as an insurance policy would make plenty of sense for the 49ers, it's not a long-term option," Knox explained. "Jones' contract will expire after this season, and he'll undoubtedly want another starting opportunity."
Jones seems content in San Francisco, but it'll be hard to down much more money and/or a starting opportunity elsewhere.
"With Adrian Martinez and 2025 seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke also in the QB room, the 49ers should see if a team is willing to meet its asking price for Jones now," Knox continued. "San Francisco will likely lose him for nothing next offseason, and a team that isn't happy with how its QB competition is unfolding could take a big swing by adding Jones."
As Knox mentioned, the 49ers do have a couple of interesting options behind Jones in Adrian Martinez and Kurtis Rourke. Rourke, in particular, has shown some promise this summer. If the Indiana product performs well in the preseason, the 49ers could be more comfortable moving on from Jones.
According to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, the 49ers want a second-round pick in exchange for Jones. If no team meets that price, it seems like the 49ers are contend holding on to him and losing him for nothing in free agency.
