Mac Jones did enough in his eight starts to show that he is capable of being a solid NFL quarterback. In fact, one NFL insider believes Jones might be a name to keep an eye on after the season, as some teams may call the San Francisco 49ers to inquire about a trade.
Jones remains under contract through the 2026 season and could emerge as a valuable trade asset once the offseason begins.
"What Mac Jones did for himself this year, and for the 49ers, was re-establish himself as a starting quarterback that can win games," insider Ian Rapoport said on NFL Network. "And he has ... one year left with the 49ers—certainly wonder if they will end up trading him this offseason.
"They are going to have interest. There are going to be teams—many, many teams—in what could be a lackluster quarterback draft, who need a guy, and Mac Jones has shown, as he did as a rookie, that he is a guy."
Rapoport added that Jones has kept the 49ers in the playoff hunt while Brock Purdy has been sidelined with a turf toe injury. San Francisco has been thrilled with Jones' performance as a fill-in starter, but the team is equally excited to have Purdy returning this weekend against the Arizona Cardinals.
"It's been awesome how Mac has played," head coach Kyle Shanahan said this week. "He has been great. But we've got a lot of confidence in Brock and we know Brock will play at a high level too as long as he's healthy."
Jones threw for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions across his eight starts this season, reviving his career under Shanahan.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: With his starting stint coming to an end, #49ers QB Mac Jones emerged as a prime trade candidate for 2026 for league full of teams that need one. pic.twitter.com/4TH08ubiNz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 15, 2025