Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
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Mac Jones #10 of the San Francisco 49ers drops back to pass the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers entered the 2026 NFL offseason with swirling rumors about the future of backup quarterback Mac Jones.
Last season, Jones stepped in and played meaningful games early in the season when Brock Purdy went down with injury. He played very well, sparking rumblings about potentially being the next Sam Darnold and having a chance to be a starter elsewhere.
To this point in the offseason, Jones remains in the 49ers’ quarterback room.
With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, there are still teams around the NFL who could use help at the quarterback position. Jones would be a prime trade target for those teams if they are unable to find help in the draft.
Keeping that in mind, a new suggestion has been made that would see Jones get shipped to an AFC contender.
49ers Linked to Possible Mac Jones Trade With AFC Contender
Fox Sports analyst Ralph Vacchiano has suggested a potential deal between San Francisco and the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Steelers still not having a final answer about the future of Aaron Rodgers, a deal could make sense.
His suggested trade package would send Jones to Pittsburgh in exchange for the No. 53 overall pick in the second round of this year’s draft and the No. 216 overall pick as well in the sixth round.
“They have to find their quarterback of the future because they can’t roll with Aaron Rodgers forever. But this isn’t a good draft to find one, and they’re not likely to be high enough in next year’s draft to get an elite prospect then, either. So why not trade a second-round pick to get one now?” Vacchiano wrote.
“Jones showed his value in his eight starts in San Francisco last season, and the former first-rounder is still only 27. He’s not as mobile as Steelers coach Mike McCarthy prefers, but he has all the other tools. And even if Pittsburgh still decides to draft a quarterback next year, he’d be great insurance for Rodgers this year on a team that has postseason goals.”
Parting Ways With Mac Jones Would Come With Risk
There is still a good chance that the 49ers simply hang on to Jones as their backup.
Purdy has had some injury struggles throughout his career so far. When he goes down, San Francisco needs to have a backup capable of coming in and starting.
Should the 49ers opt to trade Jones away, they would be running the risk of falling apart if Purdy goes down again. It’s a risk, but a second and sixth-round pick would be hard to pass up on.
Expect to continue hearing rumors about Jones as the NFL Draft approaches later this month. San Francisco certainly doesn’t have to trade him, but he’ll become a top target for any team that needs to bring in a starting quarterback. The Steelers are one of those teams.