With Malik Willis just scoring a three-year, $67.5MM deal with full guarantees through 2027, the 49ers are sitting on a valuable asset. Their two-year, $7MM contract for Mac Jones includes one more season, and San Francisco saw how capable the former New England first-rounder was during his debut Bay Area slate.
Although the Dolphins filled their quarterback need, a few bridge-type jobs remain available. Teams are still calling the 49ers on Jones, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini describes a price clubs are deeming “astronomical.” This is not the first time we’ve heard the 49ers setting a high price on their backup, and considering Brock Purdy‘s 2025 injury trouble, it makes sense for the team to stand firm here.
Last week, a report emerged indicating the 49ers are targeting more than a second-rounder in a return. And we have heard for weeks the 49ers will not part with Jones without a big asset coming back. This illustrates how high Jones’ trade value has climbed — and highlights the supply-and-demand ratio at this position — after the once-demoted Patriots starter was dealt to the Jaguars for a sixth-rounder in 2024. After making eight starts in 2025 — to the point the skill gap between he and Purdy was being debated — Jones is a hot commodity.
Debating Jones’ effectiveness outside Kyle Shanahan‘s system is worthwhile; after all, Jimmy Garoppolo fizzled in Las Vegas. But Sam Darnold‘s recent success, after a year as Purdy’s backup, will do nothing to cool Jones’ market. The 49ers could also determine they can groom a similar backup behind Purdy, possibly opening the door to the team ultimately taking the best offer this offseason and using the asset in the draft. The 49ers could lose this opportunity soon, as Jones will be a 2027 free agent. But he also represents valuable injury insurance for one of the NFL’s most injury-prone teams.
The Jets are trading for Geno Smith, and the Falcons are signing Tua Tagovailoa. But a handful of teams — the Browns, Steelers and Vikings among them — are still looking for options. The Cardinals agreed to sign Gardner Minshew, pairing him with Jacoby Brissett. That might not be Arizona’s last QB move, but after being connected to Willis, the team may stand down and wage a stopgap-type battle. Meanwhile, the 49ers are waiting for a monster offer for a player who held little trade value not too long ago.
Business is business
I didn’t understand Willis getting the contract he did with Miami as really, he’s shown very little
Now this “astronomical price” shtick for this guy
Unsure as to why a team *in need* of a QB pays such a price. I remember the Mac Jones in New England quite well, as much as I do the one playing with guys like McCaffrey, Kittle and some nice wideouts around him
But I guess if you’re desperate enough, like the Dolphins were…..
Watch the Green Bay game against Baltimore last year, you’ll understand.
I did. He played great. That one game. And yes, I understand desperation
Agreed. The Dolphins new HC and GM just came from Green Bay. They know better than anyone what Malik Willis is capable of.
I’ll make a deal with you. If any of the three are still in those positions at this time in 2029, ice cream is on me
The Malik Willis deal is a lot of money, but also it’s not. If he’s not the answer after a year, then they’ll have successfully tanked and won’t have terrible money to eat. If he’s even a decent starter, that’s pretty good value for a guy making less than 10% of the cap.
Keep him then.
CMac cost Niners 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks to acquire him. Considering that Jones plays most important position in football, and he only makes peanuts this year the Niners shouldn’t settle for anything less than 2 2nd round picks to trade Jones, imo
I think a 2nd is more than fair. The best the niners can hope for is a 3rd round comp pick when jones leaves next season. Now, for the niners, is that worth more than a cheap known commodity backup for purdy who has missed his fair share of games, that’s the question. He may have more value to San Fran than other teams
Actually, the San Francisco 49ers did not trade for Mac Jones. They signed him as a free agent on March 12, 2025.
It cost the 49s a bundle in draft picks to move up in the draft. They took trey lance
While the 49ers famously traded three first-round picks to move up to the No. 3 spot in the 2021 NFL Draft—a move many thought was for Jones—they ultimately chose Trey Lance instead. Jones was eventually drafted 15th overall by the New England Patriots
Then you just have the best backup QB in the NFL. They need to cash out no?
If you don’t think he can be a top half of the league starter (I don’t), then he’s much more valuable to the 49ers as a cheap backup on a contender than as a pricey starter who costs serious draft capital to another team.
Lol wth
Yet the Niners paid how many draft choices for Trey Lance, and only got, what, a 4th rounder when it was time for him to move on…
If the Browns were smart they would have traded everything on their roster not nailed down (including Myles Garrett) and rolled with Watson, Sanders, and Gabriel at QB in 2026 in an effort to go 0-17 and get the top QB in the 2027 draft. They clearly are a franchise capable of going winless for a season.
No team will make a move on him until the draft they are not getting day 1 or 2 picks.
Any team trading for Jones is going to have to give him a new contract as well, so it’d take a really moronic GM to pay Mac Jones a big salary and give up a ton in terms of draft value.
Can you imagine thinking a team is going to give you even one second round pick for this guy? 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 8 games on one of the most potent offenses in the league. No thanks. Let the 49ers keep him as their backup for one more year.