FanSided just released its 2026 quarterback rankings, based on opinions and grades from a panel of site editors and experts.
While the bulk of the discussion regarding the San Francisco 49ers will revolve around where Brock Purdy landed (perhaps a bit too low), it's actually quite interesting to see where the Niners' QB2 ended up when compared against the rest of the crop.
Mac Jones, who admirably filled in for Purdy a season ago and helped San Francisco go 5-3 during that stretch, ended up in Tier 6 on FanSided's rankings: replacement-level starters. That'd adequately describe what Jones was a year ago, and the company of signal-callers in that tier mostly aligns with Jones' value.
Overall, Jones ranked No. 33, trailing the New York Jets' Geno Smith (No. 32) and just ahead of the Atlanta Falcons' Michael Penix (No. 34).
But those two signal-callers, as well as the remaining crop in said tier, are nowhere near the same kind of context as Jones.
And that's a truth the 49ers may look to exploit at some point this season.
49ers can still benefit from Mac Jones' lofted stock value
It's still unclear how much the Niners explored trading Jones to a quarterback-needy team last offseason. Reports suggested there wasn't much of a market, which might've been true, but it doesn't automatically lead to Jones finishing out the balance of his contract in the Bay Area and becoming a free agent in 2027.
Meanwhile, the 2026 NFL trade deadline looms on Nov. 10. There's a lot that can happen between now and then, potentially opening back up the market for a "replacement-level starter" who'd suddenly become available, provided the offer is right.
Simply put, San Francisco still has a major tradable asset that commands value, particularly if another playoff-caliber squad loses its starter to an injury. And if the offer is one the 49ers can't refuse, the conclusion practically writes itself.
Of course, this would come at the risk of the Niners lacking a true No. 2 to support Purdy, in case of his own injury.
Yet that might be a risk San Francisco would be willing to accept.
And the latest rankings effectively reveal it might be worthwhile.
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