The San Francisco 49ers are turning back to starting quarterback Brock Purdy as they face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12, looking to make a playoff push over the second half of the season.
Purdy, who was given a five-year, $265 million contract extension this offseason, has only played in two games this season, as he suffered a toe injury in Week 1 before re-aggravating it in Week 4 when he returned.
In his absence, Mac Jones has filled in well at quarterback, going 5-3 as the starter, as he executed Kyle Shanahan’s offense well. Ahead of the week, there were some questions about whether the 49ers would stick with Jones, given his level of play, but they are going back to Purdy after an ‘aggressive’ week of practice.
Jones signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal in the offseason to be Purdy’s backup and has certainly outplayed that contract so far. He’s shown that he could potentially be a starter once again in the NFL.
So, it’s no surprise that Jones is getting some interest around the NFL, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“What Mac Jones did for himself this year, and for the 49ers, was re-establish himself as a starting quarterback that can win games,” Rapoport said on Friday.
“[He’s got] one year left with the 49ers [after 2025]. Certainly wonder if they will end up trading him this offseason. They are going to have interest. There are going to be teams—many, many teams—in what could be a lackluster quarterback draft, who need a guy, and Mac Jones has shown, as he did as a rookie, that he is a guy.”
Jones’s contract will definitely be one of the better ones for a quarterback, either starter or backup, in the NFL next offseason. But, while that could suit another team, it could also be beneficial for the 49ers, who have prioritized the No. 2 quarterback role over the last few seasons.
Jones’s trade value will be at an all-time high this offseason, but it stands to be clear what the 49ers would ask in a potential trade. They could coup a compensatory pick by letting him walk after 2026, but there are several questions about that strategy as Jones would have another season without much tape, assuming Purdy remains healthy as the starter.
He does only have one year left on his deal, so a team trading for him may look for a short-term extension.
If San Francisco does move on, though, they’d have to figure out what to do at their backup quarterback spot because Jones’s cheap contract would be a big benefit at the position as opposed to spending more in free agency. But, they’ve proven to be a quality destination for quarterbacks looking to turn things around.
This offseason is setting up to be a big one for the 49ers with several key decisions to make. Trading Jones could be atop that board.
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