The San Francisco 49ers might want the moon and the stars to trade away QB Mac Jones. Though the 49ers admit there’s a price tag on Jones, it sure isn’t cheap. In fact, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe floats the idea it could take a first-round pick to acquire Jones.
“Of course, it would be a massive win to turn a budget-friendly free-agent pickup into a second-round pick, particularly for a team with such a top-heavy roster,” Howe wrote in a recent column. “But with that talented roster and coach Kyle Shanahan, the Niners don’t want a season to go to waste if Purdy goes down again. Since Jones was a major reason the Niners stayed afloat in 2025, they could rightfully be stubborn and hold out for a first-round offer.”
The only caveat to Howe’s article is the suggestion the first rounder could be a 2027 selection instead of a top pick in next month’s draft. Howe also thinks such a deal could come after the 2026 draft.
In some ways, that could be more attractive to teams wanting to preserve 2026 capital. But it would feel like even more of a non-starter for a team like Pittsburgh. Trade away a first rounder in ’27, and the Steelers could be left empty-handed for a potentially strong quarterback class. Such a move would truly be banking on Jones becoming a long-term answer.
Ultimately, it seems more likely than not that Jones remains with the 49ers. His high price tag coupled with the team’s incentive to keep him as arguably the NFL’s top backup for a roster trying to win a Super Bowl is greater than their desire to chase a draft pick.
If a team offered a first rounder, the 49ers would be hard-pressed to turn that deal down. But it seems doubtful any team, especially Pittsburgh, would be willing to give up that kind of capital for a quarterback on an expiring contract. And one whose play was good in 2025 but not so great that it demands a blockbuster deal.
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