The 2026 NFL Draft is expected to lack top-tier quarterbacks, which could lead to a flurry of veteran quarterbacks changing teams this offseason. One signal-caller who is expected to draw considerable attention on the trade market is Mac Jones.
Jones signed a two-year contract worth $8.4 million with the 49ers this offseason. With Brock Purdy established as San Francisco’s starting quarterback, the 49ers may consider trading Jones.
With the limited number of quarterbacks in free agency, Jones could potentially bring in a significant amount of draft capital. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, it’s likely that Jones could yield a Day 2 and a Day 3 pick in return.
“I’d say a Day 2 pick, and maybe a Day 3 pick swap for Jones,” Breer wrote on Friday. “The Jets’ trade of Sam Darnold to the Panthers might be the best recent comp I could find, and New York got a 2021 sixth-round pick and ’22 second- and fourth-rounders for the quarterback. I’d guess the price would be a little less because Darnold had two years left on his rookie deal, and he was a little younger, too.”
The Patriots drafted Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he enjoyed success during his rookie season, helping New England reach the playoffs. However, the next two seasons with the Patriots didn’t go as planned, leading to New England trading Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars in March of 2024.
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Jones bounced back this season while Purdy was sidelined with an injury. He appeared in 11 games, starting eight of them, and threw for 2,151 yards along with 13 touchdowns.
There’s a possibility that Jones could return to the AFC East next season, as both the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are expected to be on the lookout for quarterback help.
