It’s only Week 3, and yet, San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Mac Jones is being mentioned in trade rumors.
In Week 2 alone, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury, the New York Giants lost Jaxson Dart to a season-ending injury and Washington Commanders star Jayden Daniels went down with a dislocated left elbow.
The NFL trade deadline isn’t until Nov. 10, but 49ers general manager John Lynch has already been asked if teams are checking in on Jones’ availability. Let’s just say he wasn’t interested in answering that question.
“I got to leave that alone,” Lynch said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “What I will tell you is, I think a lot of people see all that and say, OK, there’s opportunity. It also tells you we’re very fortunate to have a guy like Brock [Purdy], franchise quarterback, but then to have a guy like Mac in the event [of Purdy getting injured]. There’s no more important position in football — they’re all important — but I think we know as your quarterback goes, so goes your team. So, I think it’s a really special situation to have Brock here and to have Mac here. And to have a guy we’re really excited about with Kurtis Rourke.
“I think back to [former 49ers coach] Bill Walsh; maybe he was on to something when he had Joe Montana but he also brought Steve Young in here. It’s a good position to be in, a position of strength, and it provides opportunities in a number of ways, the most important way being that you’re well insulated in the event something ever were to happen. And then there also are opportunities you receive calls and then you make decisions accordingly. But we love our situation at quarterback.”
© Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.
Is it worth trading Mac Jones?
The 49ers only have Jones under contract for this season, so moving on from him for draft picks wouldn’t be the worst idea from an asset management standpoint.
On the flip side, Jones proved last season that he’s the ultimate insurance policy at the quarterback position. When Brock Purdy went down with a turf toe injury, Jones stepped in and completed 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Since the 49ers have championship aspirations this season, it makes sense for them to keep Jones on their roster.
