The San Francisco 49ers won a gritty game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, thanks in large part to another gutsy performance by quarterback Mac Jones.
His trade value has risen even more after his second straight victory as the starter.
Jones was filling in for an injured Brock Purdy for a second straight week and had to battle through his own injury troubles as his knee got banged up during the course of the game. Still, QB2 battled through and completed 27 of 41 pass attempts for 282 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
Predictions that Jones will steal the starting job from Purdy are misguided, but it is not too early to start thinking about how other teams in need of a starting quarterback may start calling the Niners to ask about Jones' availability.
Mac Jones has shocking rise in trade value
San Francisco signed Jones to a two-year contract in order to have some continuity in the quarterback room after cycling through backup quarterbacks the last few seasons. Obviously, the hope was he wouldn't have to start any games after the team inked Purdy to a big contract extension, but with the injury luck the Niners have had the last five years or so, it is better to be safe rather than sorry.
The latest injury news on Purdy is positive, and there seems to be hope he will be ready to go in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, so Jones may find himself back on the bench next week.
Still, solid starting quarterbacks are a rare commodity in the NFL, so the fact Jones has proven himself to be competent these last few weeks is only going to make more teams interested in his services either at some point this season or potentially in the offseason. There is even the possibility the 49ers could get more in a trade for Jones than they did for Trey Lance, which would be the irony of all ironies.
The Niners would probably have to be floored by an offer for Jones in order to get rid of him, though. He has proven his value these last few weeks, and if Purdy ends up going down again this season or next season, and San Francisco traded away Jones, then there'll surely be some regret.
Nonetheless, Jones' trade value continues to rise, which will only make it harder for San Francisco to hold onto him.