On the surface, it might appear as if the San Francisco 49ers may waste a high-profile trade asset in quarterback Mac Jones this offseason.
According to recent reports from The Athletic and other outlets, few teams have made any serious inquiries about trading for the Niners' No. 2 signal-caller who helped his team to a 5-3 record when Brock Purdy was out with a turf-toe injury last season.
Considering it's been somewhat trendy for former San Francisco backups to find success thereafter (see Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold), one might think Jones would have a lucrative trade market.
But he hasn't. And the 49ers aren't eagerly shopping him either.
All that might be part of the plan, too, at least according to one league-wide insider.
The Athletic's Jeff Howe opens up about 49ers' plans for Mac Jones
The offseason quarterbacking market just became more provocative in the wake of news the Arizona Cardinals would release Kyler Murray at the start of the league new year on March 11.
Speaking to that, along with the lack of clear quarterbacking talent in April's NFL Draft, The Athletic's Jeff Howe described what kind of approach (and what kind of compensation) the Niners could be looking at for Jones at some point this offseason.
"Some point" being a key part of that phrase.
Howe wrote:
"The Mac Jones trade front is also fascinating, more so because the 49ers have a compelling case to keep him. Jones played at a high level in eight starts last season filling in for an injured Brock Purdy, who has missed time with injuries in all four seasons. Jones also has a $3.07 million cap hit, so the Niners aren’t financially motivated to move him.
Of course, it would be a massive win to turn a budget-friendly free-agent pickup into a second-round pick, particularly for a team with such a top-heavy roster. But with that talented roster and coach Kyle Shanahan, the Niners don’t want a season to go to waste if Purdy goes down again. Since Jones was a major reason the Niners stayed afloat in 2025, they could rightfully be stubborn and hold out for a first-round offer.
And who’s to say it wouldn’t come after the draft? [Alabama QB Ty] Simpson is largely viewed as a second-round prospect who will likely be taken somewhere in the first round. If a team strikes out in free agency and the draft, it could circle back with the Niners on Jones.
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Simply put, San Francisco has no problem keeping Jones. He's cheap, and Purdy has an unfortunate injury history now that makes having a starting-caliber backup awfully vital.
Additionally, as Howe noted, the 49ers have no issue waiting to see which teams failed to address their quarterbacking needs via either free agency and the draft.
If every team seemingly has its best options under center, the Niners don't mind. They'll keep Jones.
If teams aren't happy under center, San Francisco will put Jones back up on the block for a much heftier price when desperation suddenly becomes a factor.