If a team offers the 49ers a second-round pick for Mac Jones this offseason, there's a good chance they'll trade him. [And that would be a big mistake](https://www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi/news/why-49ers-dont-want-trade-mac-jones).
The 49ers are the only team in the NFL that has two good quarterbacks in their 20s. That's a big advantage, and they shouldn't give it away, particularly when Brock Purdy keeps getting injured and throwing interceptions.
In the past two seasons, Purdy has missed 10 games. And in his past 20 starts, he has thrown a whopping 21 interceptions. And in his four seasons in the NFL, his interception percentage has gone up four years in a row. Turnovers and injuries are becoming bigger issues for him the more he plays.
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
And he's expensive. This year, his cap number will be $24.3 million. In 2027, it will be $30.8 million. In 2028, it will be $57.6 million. And in 2029, it will be $72.5 million. If Purdy misses more games and throws more picks and the 49ers fall short of the playoffs next season, the 49ers mght not want to pay him all that money.
Next year, the 49ers theoretically could trade Purdy and save nearly $7 million in salary cap space. And he might be worth a first-round pick if teams still think he's a top-10 quarterback in the NFL.
Then, the 49ers could give Mac Jones a reasonable extension -- three years, $100 million. A far cry from what Purdy is getting paid.
Or, if Purdy stays healthy next season, stops throwing a ton of picks and goes back to the Super Bowl and maybe even wins it this time, the 49ers could keep him and let Mac Jones leave in free agency and get a third-round compensatory pick when he leaves.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Jones gives the 49ers options. As soon as he's gone, the 49ers will be stuck with Purdy no matter what happens or what he does. And that's scary considering how he has played the past two seasons.
The 49ers should want to keep their options open, especially after the Seahawks just won the Super Bowl with Sam Darnold, who was Purdy's backup before Jones. Darnold isn't necessarily better than Purdy, but he's much cheaper than him, he hasn't missed a game in two seasons and he threw no interceptions in the playoffs this year.
The Seahawks were able to build a championship team around Darnold and his contract. The 49ers might not be able to do the same thing with Purdy because he costs so much and misses so many games.
In hindsight, the 49ers never should have let Darnold go in the first place. Now, they don't need to make the same mistake with Jones. Be grateful that he's under contract for one more year.
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#### Page 2
This is interesting.
The 49ers are not expected to trade Mac Jones this offseason, [according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7028598/2026/02/07/nfl-rumors-news-super-bowl-maxx-crosby-travis-kelce/). Jones has one year left on his deal and wants to be a starting quarterback. Naturally, there's speculation that the 49ers would trade him for the right price.
But what is that price? I'm guessing the 49ers would trade Mac Jones for a first-round pick in a heartbeat if a team were to offer one for him, but they probably won't. He was seen as a bust until just this season, when he started eight games and won five of them.
The most the 49ers probably could get in a trade for Jones is a third-round pick, considering the team acquiring him immediately would have to give him an extension that pays him starting-quarterback money -- at least $30 million per season.
What would the 49ers do with a third-round pick? Spend it on another linebacker who never plays, or another running back who never plays, or another wide receiver who never plays?
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Truthfully, the 49ers can't afford to trade Jones for a player who might not be good enough to contribute, because the starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, has missed 10 games the past two seasons. And if he misses an extended period of time again in 2026 and the 49ers don't have Jones to keep the team afloat, they could miss the playoffs, and someone could get fired.
Remember, John Lynch is entering the final season of his contract, and Kyle Shanahan's deal will expire after 2027. They're still working for their extensions. As opposed to Sean McVay and Les Snead, who got extended by the Rams last week.
And there's no guarantee that the 49ers will extend Lynch and Shanahan. They're both extremely expensive, and so is Purdy, who got an extension last year. Do the 49ers want to pay through the nose for Lynch and Shanahan while Purdy is the seventh-highest-paid player in the NFL? Probably not if they miss the playoffs next season.
Which means Jones provides Lynch and Shanahan job security. Can't expect them to trade Jones and plan for a future that might not include them. Especially when the franchise quarterback hasn't proven that he can stay healthy.
I imagine the 49ers would love a team to offer them a first-round pick for Jones at the NFL Scouting Combine in a few weeks, and maybe one will. Barring that mircale, Jones will stay with the 49ers for at least one more season.
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