There was a lot of speculation all offseason about whether or not the San Francisco 49ers would trade backup quarterback Mac Jones. The former first-round pick by the New England Patriots recently got a pay bump from the 49ers after the team didn’t trade him during the 2026 draft and following his sensational 5-3 season as a starter for the injured Brock Purdy.
While there may or may not have been real interest in Jones, his numbers would good enough to keep the 49ers playoff hopes and NFC West title hopes alive. He finished the year with a 69.6 percent completion rate, 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Jones didn’t deny he knew about the rumors of his potential departure, but added that “it was made very clear to me that I was going to be here from this organization.” The extra money was likely part of that, as well as general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan’s insistence that they’d prefer not to trade Jones and only would if they were blown away by an offer.
But the idea of returning to a starting role isn’t lost on Jones. He won’t get the opportunity in San Francisco unless something happens to Purdy again. That element doesn’t appear to be an issue for the quarterback, though.
“Obviously, you want to have a chance to start,” Jones added. “But I also love it here, and I’m not really in the business of leaving good people, so I’m not mad about it at all.
“Whenever I’m needed, that’s my job: to support Brock. It’s his team, and he played very well toward the end of the year, and I feel like it was just a lot of fun. We want to continue that, the good vibes in there, and I’m looking forward to trying not to focus on the future, just focus on now.”
Jones could still be a trade candidate throughout the season if injuries befall other teams, but Jones is likely waiting for his next chance to cash in during the 2027 free agency period when his contract is up. That is, unless he’s content in San Francisco as a backup playing for one of the better organizations in the NFL.
“I want to build on it and have another good year,” he said. “It’s never been really about the money for me, to be honest. I’m just glad that I’m having fun again. That’s priceless to me.”
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers top trade chip ‘not mad’ about staying with team this offseason
Reporting by Oliver G., Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Oliver G., Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
