The 49ers know how valuable Mac Jones was last season, and all the reports to this point have insisted they do not intend to trade their backup quarterback. San Francisco’s reluctance to part with a player whom they smartly signed to a two-year contract last offseason is understandable, but the reality is that, save for a few untouchable members of the roster, every 49er can be had for the right price.
And, in the case of Jones, there is an opportunity emerging for the 49ers to get what they may deem a fair deal for their No. 2 signal-caller and improve the roster at the same time.
San Francisco would benefit significantly from additional depth at edge rusher after struggling for pass rush in Nick Bosa’s absence last season, and a talented veteran edge is now seemingly available after it was reported that the Minnesota Vikings are open to trading Jonathan Greenard.
Minnesota is dealing with salary cap issues and Greenard carries cap hits of $22.3 million and $19 million over the next two seasons. Yet none of that money is fully guaranteed, making him a more appealing potential acquisition for edge-needy teams.
Greenard shone for the Vikings in 2024, recording 12 sacks, 11.5 stuffs, and four forced fumbles. He totaled 84 pressures, per PFF, with a pass-rush win rate of 15.2 percent. He was subsequently named to the Pro Bowl.
He missed five games last season due to injury and recorded only three sacks. However, Greenard still managed to tally 47 pressures and had a pass rush win rate of 16.6%, with both those numbers superior to Bryce Huff (45 pressures, 14.9% win rate), whom the Niners acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason.
The acquisition of Greenard would give the 49ers’ edge depth a much healthier look, and give them the flexibility to potentially move on from Huff and save just under $5.4 million against the cap for a player who will be a free agent in 2027.
Given the Vikings’ problems at quarterback, the stars could align for such a deal to happen, as Minnesota stands out as an ideal trade destination for Jones.
The knock on Jones’ excellent quarterback performances last season in relief of Brock Purdy is that they came while he had the insulation of the Kyle Shanahan offense. Few play-callers can elevate a quarterback like Shanahan, but Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has an excellent track record of doing so with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.
O’Connell has not been successful with J.J. McCarthy, whose disastrous first season as a starter has led to suggestions that the Vikings could be in the mix for a quarterback. Jones could be acquired by Minnesota to have a competition with McCarthy, and most would expect the former Alabama star to win it.
As such, the Vikings represent a tantalising landing spot for Jones, who would obviously be desperate for another shot to be a starter.
While a straight swap between Jones and Greenard might not represent fair value, the addition of draft picks into the deal likely would make it more amenable to the 49ers, with a day-two pick indicated to be the level of compensation San Francisco would desire. Having a player involved in the deal might lower the asking price, and a hypothetical scenario in which the 49ers send Jones to Minnesota in exchange for Greenard and the Vikings’ 2026 fourth-round pick would represent excellent business for John Lynch.
Of course, the 49ers would need to have a plan to replace a player who proved himself to be a premier backup quarterback last season, yet the prospect of improving a problem area and gaining extra draft capital could be too good for them to pass up.
San Francisco will be more than happy to hang on to Jones if no suitors come calling, but the opportunity to use him as a makeweight to bolster their pass rush is one they should at least explore.
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