The San Francisco 49ers could ultimately decide it's in their best interests to keep quarterback Mac Jones on their roster into 2026. After all, Jones performed admirably in relief of the injured Brock Purdy, helping the Niners go 5-3 during the latter's absence.
Signed through 2026, Jones is about as good an insurance policy to Purdy as head coach Kyle Shanahan could ask for.
However, Jones also might be the biggest trade asset at San Francisco's disposal once the offseason rolls around.
And there's one potential suitor that might be clamoring for Jones' services above the rest.
Vikings emerging as potential Mac Jones trade candidate
There'll be plenty of quarterback-needy teams this offseason. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers are all possibly seeking long-term options under center once 2026 rolls around.
The Minnesota Vikings, too, could be eyeing a change, especially if they determine second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy isn't, well... the guy.
Our old friend from FanSided, Matt Verderame, now at Sports Illustrated, described the Norsemen's situation with McCarthy recently:
"McCarthy has been either ineffective or inactive for almost every NFL game of his career. A national champion at Michigan, the 2024 first-round pick has played only five games in his pro career due to injuries. He has thrown for 842 yards on 6.0 yards per attempt with six touchdown passes and eight interceptions while completing 52.8% of his attempts.
Even if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell don’t believe McCarthy is the future by season’s end, Minnesota is in a tough spot. The Vikings have a win-now roster with stars either in their primes or aging out, including receiver Justin Jefferson, tackles Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw, linebackers Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, safety Josh Metellus and others."
Now, Verderame admitted a would-be trade likely wouldn't aid Minnesota's prospects for immediate results. But he might have overlooked Jones.
And there's a clear precedent between the 49ers, the Vikings and former first-round QBs who've resurrected their careers.
In 2024, former Niners backup signal-caller Sam Darnold inked a one-year deal with Minnesota to back up McCarthy, only to land the starting gig after the rookie suffered a season-ending knee injury before Week 1 even kicked off. Darnold used that one-year stint under O'Connell to register career-best numbers, turning those into a lucrative free-agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason.
Would Jones follow suit after resurrecting his career in the Bay Area?
It surely seems plausible. O'Connell has already shown a prowess for taking ex-San Francisco quarterbacks and turning them into powerhouses, and the transition from the 49ers offense to that of the Vikings seems reasonable enough.
And, with a win-now mentality, one might figure the Vikings could be desperate enough to practically beg the Niners to trade Jones their way.
Assuming San Francisco would be interested and McCarthy's struggles continue, of course.