Mac Jones
Getty
Mac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers are sitting on one of the more interesting trade assets in the league heading into free agency. Mac Jones went 5-3 as a starter last season filling in for the injured Brock Purdy, throwing 13 touchdowns against six interceptions while finishing second among all NFL quarterbacks in completion percentage at 69.6 percent. For a quarterback on a $3.07 million cap hit, the value is obvious.
So why has the trade market been so quiet?
The silence, it turns out, is part of the strategy.
Lynch Makes the 49ers’ Position Clear
John Lynch San Francisco 49ers
GettyGeneral manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers.
GM John Lynch did not mince words when addressing Jones’ situation at the Combine. The 49ers want to keep him. Any team looking to pry him away will need to pay accordingly.
“He’s really good for us, and we value that,” Lynch told reporters. “Somebody would have to come with something fairly strong for us to consider trading him. I think we’re a better team with him on it and we just like having him around.”
That framing is deliberate. Lynch is not closing the door on a trade — he is raising the price. And with free agency opening March 11, the clock is ticking for quarterback-needy teams to find their answer under center.
OurSF49ers
#49ers GM John Lynch provided an update on QB Mac Jones at the combine:
“Somebody would have to come with something fairly strong for us to consider (trading him).”
H/T @nwagoner
Why the Market Has Cooled
Several quarterback-needy teams may be hesitant to trade for Jones and then face a potential contract extension, instead opting for cheaper alternatives. Meanwhile, the quarterback market has more moving parts than anticipated. Kyler Murray is expected to be released by the Arizona Cardinals. Derek Carr is reportedly coming out of retirement. Malik Willis is hitting free agency. Teams that might have called about Jones have other options to explore first.
That suits San Francisco just fine. As The Athletic’s Jeff Howe noted, the 49ers have every reason to hold firm. “The Niners don’t want a season to go to waste if Purdy goes down again,” Howe wrote. “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. And who’s to say it wouldn’t come after the draft? If a team strikes out in free agency and the draft, it could circle back with the Niners on Jones.”
His cap number is negligible, he has proven he can operate Kyle Shanahan‘s system at a starting level, and Purdy’s injury history makes having a genuine backup essential rather than optional. Purdy has not played a full season since taking over as starter and has exceeded nine regular season games just twice in four years.
What Comes Next
Mac Jones
GettyMac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers.
The most comparable trade in recent memory is the 2017 deal that sent Jimmy Garoppolo from New England to San Francisco for a second-round pick. Jones is unlikely to command a first-rounder, but a strong second — particularly one in the top half of the round — is the floor the 49ers appear to be working from.
There is also a compensatory pick angle worth noting. If San Francisco keeps Jones through 2026 and loses him to free agency the following offseason, they could be in line for a compensatory third-round pick in 2028. That gives the 49ers even less incentive to settle for a middling return now.
Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins have emerged as a team with genuine interest, per reports. The Minnesota Vikings have also been connected, though their quarterback room remains a fluid situation with J.J. McCarthy‘s future still uncertain. Whether either team comes in with the kind of offer that moves the needle remains to be seen.
Final Word for the 49ers
The quiet around the Mac Jones trade market is not a problem for San Francisco. It is a feature.
The 49ers are not desperate. They have a starting-caliber backup under contract at a bargain price, a head coach who knows exactly how to use him, and the patience to wait for the right offer. If the market comes to them, great. If it does not, they keep one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league heading into another season where Purdy’s availability cannot be taken for granted.
San Francisco wins either way. That is a comfortable place to be.