The 49ers stand firm on their backup quarterback. Learn why trading Mac Jones is highly unlikely, despite external interest and a valuable skill set.
The San Francisco 49ers are not going to trade backup quarterback Mac Jones, at least for now. That is, if ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is to be believed.
Schefter reports that the Niners are "not expected" to trade Jones to another squad. And while he does not completely rule out the possibility, he indicates it would be a surprised if the team did move on from the quality signal caller at backup quarterback.
The Sporting News' Matt Sullivan discussed the potential of a trade possibility. At this point, such a move seems unlikely. Sullivan wrote on why it may not happen this year.
"Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have made it known they won't simply trade Jones this offseason in the last year of his absolute steal of a two-year deal. Jones is 27 years old and coming off a 2,151-yard season with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in relief of Purdy this past season.
Teams in need of quarterback help, whether it's as a starter like the Pittsburgh Steelers or competition like the Cleveland Browns, would surely be interested in Jones if he were available. And while the 49ers aren't going to shut down all trade talks, their asking price must be incredibly high for teams to balk on trading for a potential starting quarterback.
Schefter's report indicated the 49ers were not going to be trading Jones during the recent NFL Draft. While there might be interest from other teams, Jones looks set to remain in San Francisco for now, and at least through the NFL Draft.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) hands off to running back Jordan James (29) against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Kevin Ng-Imagn ImagesFinding a good backup option is not easy to come by in the National Football League. For some team's it's hard enough to find a starting quarterback that can both play at a high level and that they can afford to build around as a team. That reality makes it hard to expect a team to move on from a player who kept the season afloat when the starting quarterback in Brock Purdy was out for an extended amount of time.
Purdy is not expected to be injured for a long time this season or any season after it, but Jones does provide security in the event that something happens to the quarterback. Jones can step up and win a game for the team. For that reason, count the Niners out of seeking out any trade for Jones regardless of what value they might get for the quarterback in return.