The San Francisco 49ers have a new backup quarterback, and it’s one they considered in the 2021 NFL Draft.
It seems like yesterday when the San Francisco 49ers were linked to then-Alabama quarterback Mac Jones. Trading up for a player who was, by all accounts, carried by his supporting cast never added up.
The 49ers ended up going in a different direction, but as recently as 2023, ESPN’s Adam Schefter stood firm about his initial stance that the 49ers were trading up with the idea that they were drafting Jones.
Here’s Schefter in June 2023 on the Pat MacAfee Show:
“When they made that trade, they traded up with the idea that they were going to draft Mac Jones, while also having I think it was six weeks to the draft — maybe a little less, a month or so — to look at the other prospects. And while they looked at the other prospects, they fell in love with the intangibles that Trey Lance demonstrated. He did testing and tested off the charts in terms of intelligence. They brought him in the building. The guy was ultra impressive. And even though they traded up with the idea of picking Mac Jones, while doing their work, they became enamored with this guy and the upside that he had.”
Well, guess who ended up being right?!
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted that the 49ers have agreed to terms with Jones on a two-year deal for $7 million, with $5 million guaranteed. Jones can earn a maximum of $11.5 million, likely through playing time.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted that the 49ers made an offer for Jones last year before New England tarded him to Jacksonville. Now, they get Jones without giving up any draft capital.
Unsurprisingly, the 49ers will head into the NFL Draft with a backup quarterback for Brock Purdy other than Tanner Mordecai.
Jones started seven games for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season once Trevor Lawrence was lost for the season. He averaged 6.4 yards per target and threw eight touchdowns and interceptions. Jacksonville scored a combined 13 points in Jones’s first two starts. He had one game north of 250 passing yards last season. Jones is 20-29 during his career as a starter
The former No. 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has 49 career starts dating back to his time with the New England Patriots. Jones turns 27 in September. Just as we said with Sam Darnold, Josh Dobbs, and Brandon Allen, if we’re ever talking about any non-Purdy quarterback during the fall, something has gone wrong.