It’s not that Mac Jones had a poor 2025 season. Quite the opposite, actually. The San Francisco 49ers’ backup quarterback helped keep the team steady when Brock Purdy went down. Still, that performance naturally raises a question: Could the Niners trade Jones in 2026 so he can start elsewhere? It’s not a wild idea. But according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, San Francisco isn’t leaning that way.

“For teams looking to swing a deal for 49ers backup QB Mac Jones, I’m told San Francisco is not looking to part with the 2021 first-rounder,” Russini reported. “Things and offers can change, but the 49ers’ preference is to keep their Brock Purdy-Jones tandem intact for 2026. Jones’ 5-3 record as a starter amid the team’s major injury struggles helped keep San Francisco afloat, and Kyle Shanahan loves what he has in the 27-year-old.”

Jones’ NFL journey hasn’t exactly followed a smooth script. A former first-round pick of the New England Patriots, the 27-year-old struggled during his time in Foxborough. A season with the Jacksonville Jaguars followed, but the same issues lingered. Then came the 2025 offseason, when Jones signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the 49ers. And given how last season played out, it’s not hard to see why Russini isn’t convinced a trade is imminent.

Purdy missed a significant chunk of the 2025 season due to injuries. In that stretch, Jones stepped in and kept the Niners in the playoff mix. He started eight games, went 5–3, and completed 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Based on that body of work, San Francisco, looking to keep the Purdy-Jones pairing intact, doesn’t seem out of nowhere.

Still, there’s another angle worth considering. We’ve seen this movie before. Quarterbacks struggle early, land in a new system, have a career-defining season, and suddenly their trajectory changes. Sam Darnold is a recent example, another quarterback who spent time under Kyle Shanahan. And considering the season Jones just put together, it’s fair to ask: What if he wants another shot at starting? The odds may be slim, but they’re not zero.

“Honestly, it’s a business. You know how this goes,” Jones said. “I’ve proven I can be a starter. I’ve proven I can be a starter in multiple different spots. I have 50-plus starts or whatever. I know how to do it, but it’s also a business. I understand both sides of it.”

Jones is entering the final year of his two-year deal with the 49ers. And while Russini reports that a trade isn’t currently in the cards for the former first-round pick, Jones clearly understands his value. Context matters here, especially with the quarterback already being linked to an NFCWest rival ahead of 2026.

Reports link Mac Jones as Kyler Murray’s replacement

With the 49ers fully committed to Brock Purdy as their franchise quarterback on a massive deal, Mac Jones isn’t expected to see a starting role unless it’s strictly injury-related. And while reports indicate the Niners would prefer to keep Jones on the roster, there’s growing belief that the Arizona Cardinals could emerge as a potential landing spot if a trade materializes.

“The Cards could look at Jacoby Brissett as the bridge quarterback who can get them through 2026, but there’s no upside there,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine suggested. “Targeting a quarterback like Mac Jones could ostensibly result in a Sam Darnold or Geno Smith-like resurgence after initially struggling to catch on in the league.”

Arizona has already addressed its head coaching vacancy by hiring Mike LaFleur away from the Los Angeles Rams. With LaFleur in place, though, the Cardinals still have major quarterback questions to answer. At the moment, the team finds itself in a QB bind, with Kyler Murray carrying a $52.66 million cap hit in 2026 while remaining under contract for the next several seasons.

And while Murray is just 28, firmly in his prime, with elite athleticism and undeniable arm talent that allows him to make throws all over the field, inconsistency and injuries have continued to define his time in Arizona.

That lingering issue is exactly why the Cardinals could begin looking elsewhere in 2026. For now, nothing is official, but Jones has already emerged as a viable alternative. With the offseason now underway for both teams, the coming months will reveal whether the Niners keep their backup or if a division rival steps in to make a move.