On Tuesday, the trade deadline came and went, and the San Francisco 49ers walked away with a few new pieces. Their last-second addition of Keenan Allen will shore up an injury-plagued wide receiver room, while the earlier acquisition of DeForest Buckner bolstered the defensive line.
Amid the upgrades was a potential Mac Jones trade that quickly went nowhere. Oddly enough, the backup quarterback was briefly pursued by the Minnesota Vikings. While the 49ers did everything they could to stymie their NFC foe by requesting an astronomical price, Minnesota eventually turned the tables on the red and gold, making a path to a postseason bye even tougher.
Because the 49ers' price tag on Jones was so unreasonable, the Vikings quickly moved on. As a result, they acquired the QB they wanted most, Kirk Cousins.
Despite throwing three interceptions against the 49ers in Week 9, Cousins is enjoying a resurgent season in 2026, and his presence gives Minnesota a second life in their quest for the NFC's top seed.
After starting out the year 6-0, the Vikings have lost two straight thanks to abysmal quarterback play. Now that they have their man, they have once again inserted themselves in the one-seed conversation with the likes of the 49ers, Bears, and Lions.
49ers could've stunted Vikings if their Mac Jones price wasn't so high
In reality, the 49ers priced Jones high for a couple of reasons.
First, they recognized that Jones represents a valuable insurance policy if Brock Purdy gets hurt. They have already invested too much in the season. If something were to happen to their franchise quarterback, they couldn't simply give up and try again in 2027.
Second, they could've been attempting to upsell a fellow NFC postseason threat. The Vikings already boast the best league's defense on a points-per-game basis, and an offensive boost would've established them as a formidable opponent come January. If the Niners were to aid them in their quest for quarterback proficiency, then they would've wanted to make it hurt.
Regardless, the Niners' asking price for Jones forced the Vikings to go another direction, one that will probably lead to more success than if they had Jones at the helm. San Francisco will now have to face the new-look Minnesota offense in two weeks when they travel to Santa Clara.
In retrospect, the Niners could've lowered their Mac Jones value and potentially made their own road to a playoff bye easier. But hindsight is 20/20, and Kyle Shanahan and company can't afford to look in the rearview mirror at what could've been. Now in control of their own destiny, they must focus on one win at a time from here on out.
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