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Mac Jones‘ 2025 season kept the 49ers afloat amid adversity and boosted his stock as a potential starting candidate elsewhere.
As of now, he remains in San Francisco.
That hasn’t stopped the trade rumor mill from churning, though. With quarterback remaining a premium position that is never quite fully stocked across the NFL, Jones’ name will continue to own a prominent place in the market, even if the 49ers haven’t made him available.
“I think this is my No. 1 question that I’ve been asked,” Jones, who went 5-3 in eight starts last season, said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. “Look, I love (49ers general manger) John (Lynch), I love (49ers coach) Kyle (Shanahan), the York family. It’s the best organization I feel like that I’ve played for in terms of just top-to-bottom greatness, so far, and I don’t like leaving good people. I hope they enjoy having me there.
“I’m excited for this year, to be honest. A lot of that was offseason talk. Anything’s possible, right? I mean, the trade deadline’s not until a little bit through the season. But I try not to keep up with it. I really just want to keep getting better. … I played decent last year. I think I can play a lot better, which is what I’m striving to do this summer — improve on my technique and see if that helps me and elevates me to get a big deal or something in the future. I always say be where your feet are. My feet are in San Francisco, and I like it a lot.”
Jones has reason to relish his current standing in the Bay Area. He occupies a relatively low-pressure job as Brock Purdy‘s backup, is valued by Shanahan and the entire 49ers organization — especially after he kept them competitive in Purdy’s absence in 2025 — and is receiving top-tier instruction from one of the most stable organizations in the NFL.
He isn’t receiving a salary that lands anywhere near starter money, but he did agree to a revised contract in May that added a $300,000 roster bonus, boosting his pay to $3.55 million in 2026 with the potential to earn an additional $2.5 million in incentives.
If everything goes right, Jones stands to cash in as a valued free agent in 2027, too. In eight starts in 2025, Jones posted a 5-3 record and demonstrated clear capability to lead an NFL offense as its top option, as well as remarkable toughness while playing through minor injury. He’s produced a strong enough resume to attract interest on the open market — if he makes it there.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of pro football, and, as of now, the 49ers hold a strong trade chip in Jones should a team develop a need for a starting-caliber quarterback. Keeping Jones is perfectly fine for the 49ers, too. They’ll have a trusted, low-cost backup behind Purdy who has already proven he can keep the offense going if called upon.
It helps that Jones is content in San Francisco, the same place in which Sam Darnold began his career renaissance by spending a year as a backup in Shanahan’s system before moving onto Minnesota and eventually, Seattle. Jones could follow a similar route.
There’s no need to rush the process, though. And as Jones sees it, he’s perfectly fine with being patient and living in the moment.
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