A quiet Mac Jones market unexpectedly boosts 49ers' leverage. Discover how patience maximizes his value and secures Brock Purdy's safety net.
The San Francisco 49ers could find themselves in an interesting position with backup quarterback Mac Jones this offseason. On the surface, it might seem like San Francisco is missing an opportunity to cash in on a valuable trade asset. But the lack of a strong market for Jones may actually work in the team’s favor.
According to reports from The Athletic and other league insiders, there hasn’t been a significant amount of trade interest in Jones despite his solid performance when called upon last season. When starting quarterback Brock Purdy went down with a turf toe injury, Jones stepped in and helped the 49ers stay afloat, leading the team to a 5–3 record during that stretch.
Statistically, Jones performed well enough to justify being viewed as one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. Over those eight starts, he threw for 2,187 yards, 14 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing just over 67 percent of his passes. He also posted a passer rating of 94.6, numbers that compare favorably with several starting quarterbacks across the NFL last season.
Despite that production, the trade market hasn’t exactly exploded. That may be partially due to the timing of the quarterback carousel this offseason. Several teams are still evaluating options in free agency and the upcoming draft, which means potential interest in Jones could surface later in the offseason rather than right now.
Another major factor working in San Francisco’s favor is Jones’ contract. He carries a modest $3.07 million cap hit for the 2026 season, making him one of the most affordable starting-caliber backups in the league. Having that level of insurance behind Purdy is incredibly valuable.
Purdy himself has missed time in each of his four NFL seasons, which makes the idea of moving Jones far more complicated than it might appear. If the 49ers were to trade him now and Purdy were to miss games again, the team would suddenly be left without a reliable safety net at the most important position in football.
That reality could explain why general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan aren’t in any rush to deal him.
At the same time, San Francisco could still benefit if a desperate team emerges later in the offseason. The quarterback market often shifts dramatically after the NFL Draft, especially if teams fail to land the prospects they were targeting.
If that scenario unfolds, the 49ers could suddenly find themselves fielding offers from quarterback-needy teams looking for a proven option. In that case, holding onto Jones now could allow San Francisco to maximize his trade value when urgency begins to set in around the league.
Until then, the 49ers appear perfectly comfortable keeping one of the league’s most valuable backup quarterbacks on their roster.