Mac Jones Trade Buzz Gets New Life – This Time There’s Very Good Reason For 49ers To Make The Deal
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The Mac Jones trade saga refuses to go away, and the San Francisco 49ers appear to be in no rush to settle it. Despite GM John Lynch stating the team values Jones and wants to keep him, new reporting suggests the door is not fully closed. A seventh-round rookie quarterback could hold the key to whether Jones changes zip codes before the November 3 trade deadline.
The 49ers never found a trade partner before the 2026 draft, partly because no team met their asking price. Lynch drew a clear line back in February — the organization rates itself higher with Jones on the roster, and any offer needs to reflect that. Still, the situation carries enough moving parts that a deal remains possible.
What a Mac Jones Trade Actually Hinges On
The San Francisco Chronicle‘s Eric Branch put the scenario in sharp focus.
“The 49ers are intrigued by No. 3 QB Kurtis Rourke, a big-armed 2025 seventh-round pick who was sidelined last year by a knee injury from college. Are they intrigued enough to give Rourke more practice snaps than they typically give third-stringers to see if he can serve as Purdy’s backup, sooner than expected?” the Niners writer posed.
“The 49ers were willing to trade QB Mac Jones before the draft, but no team met their reportedly steep asking price. If an injury to a starter prompts a team to pony up, would the 49ers deal Jones at some point before the trade deadline on Nov. 3? They likely would if Rourke, like Purdy in 2022, resembles a seventh-round steal.”
The 49ers went 5-3 in his starts, and he threw for over 2,100 yards with 13 touchdowns against six interceptions. That kind of production doesn’t stay quiet for long in a QB-starved league. According to 49ers trade market analysis, teams like the Minnesota Vikings have already surfaced as logical destinations, with some proposals packaging Jones in multi-team deals to maximize return for San Francisco.
How the 49ers Approach the Mac Jones Decision
Lynch keeps his cards close. He acknowledges that every player has a price but stops well short of inviting offers. The 49ers want a second-round pick — or something close — to move Jones, and teams have hesitated to meet that threshold with so many variables in play. Jones turns 28 this September, carries a reasonable salary figure, and comes with a proven system fit. Per Spotrac’s NFL contract database, his current deal doesn’t create significant dead-cap risk for a trade partner, which should work in his favor.
The X-factor that changes everything is Rourke. If the rookie looks sharp in early camp reps and earns more snaps than a typical third-stringer would normally receive, the front office signals it might have found its next developmental gem. That would free the team to cash Jones in while his value still sits high. The 49ers have shown before — with Purdy himself — that they trust the process of developing quarterbacks others overlook.
The 49ers’ QB depth situation also connects directly to their pursuit of pass-rush help. San Francisco finished last in the NFL with just 20 sacks in 2025, and trade capital from a Jones deal could help fund a move for a premier edge rusher. That added incentive only strengthens the case that San Francisco remains motivated to find the right offer.
