Purdy or Jones? The 49ers boast two talented quarterbacks. Will one be traded as San Francisco weighs its options and historical precedent?
The San Francisco 49ers have two good quarterbacks in Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. It's a great problem to have, and one that has some asking if the Niners trade one of them? And while anything's possible, the team does not appear to be eager to make any moves.
49ers general manager John Lynch is not looking to trade either of his highly productive quarterbacks, but he was not shying away on the possibility that it could happen. He said the following of the potential of moving on from one of them.
"We could always do something, but I think that's a position - nobody exhibited this more than the great Bill Walsh. The more quality players you have in that room, that sets you up for success. I think you've got to keep your eyes and ears open to everything. We obviously believe greatly in Brock Purdy, and Brock earned that. He earned that trust from us. But Mac earned a lot of trust this year with the way he played. ...
So we're excited about that room, we're going to keep focusing on this season, (and) we'll figure out everything as it goes."
Purdy, of course, has plenty of capital from past seasons in San Francisco, working his way from the bottom of the NFL draft to the top of the depth chart. That said, much of the Niners' 2025 success came when Mac Jones stepped in during Purdy's absence due to injury.
Lynch, though, looks back to the Niners' golden era as proof you can never have too many good quarterbacks. Both Joe Montana and Steve Young starred at San Francisco, but not before the two had to split reps and share a sideline.
Montana would go on to be widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time prior to former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal caller Tom Brady ascending to take that mantle. Young was forced to wait his turn. When he got it, Young didn't turn back.
Young would follow Montana's four titles with a Super Bowl championship of his own in 1994, knocking off the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys to get there and proving himself a champion in his own right.
Neither Purdy or Jones are likely to accomplish what Montana and Young did. Few quarterbacks have achieved as much. But the precedent is set. When you have two great quarterbacks, there's no reason to rush either out the door.