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The San Francisco 49ers do not appear inclined to trade backup quarterback Mac Jones, entering an offseason in which he could generate significant interest from teams looking for a starter.
“You always listen to people with trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday when asked about the possibility of trading Jones. “So I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
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General manager John Lynch echoed Shanahan’s sentiment, adding, “You always listen, but I know we’re a better football team with Mac Jones on our roster.”
Jones, 27, signed a two-year, $7 million free-agent deal with San Francisco in March, four years after the 49ers seriously considered taking Jones with the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft (they instead selected Trey Lance). Jones started eight games in place of injured starter Brock Purdy this season, going 5-3 while throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
“Mac made this place better. He was outstanding this season. He picked us up in a huge way,” Lynch said. “When we needed him … he went in there and won us a lot of football games, and he kept us in this thing.”
Jones, who carries a cap hit of $3.1 million in 2026, went 18-24 as a starter over three seasons with the New England Patriots before starting seven games in place of Trevor Lawrence for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, going 2-5. His passer rating in 2025 was a career-best 97.4, topping his rookie mark of 92.5.
Meanwhile, Lynch acknowledged the team will move on from former second-team All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, saying “it’s safe to say he’s played his last snap as a 49er.”
The Athletic reported in November that Aiyuk and the team were heading for a divorce, just 15 months after agreeing to a lucrative extension. Lynch said a transaction will be made with Aiyuk “in due time.”
Why the 49ers want to keep Jones
Last week, Lynch not only praised Jones’ contributions on the field but also in the locker room, as he has been a source of positive energy.
“He brings an energy to this team that’s really cool,” Lynch told The Athletic. “And he’s good for Brock. That quarterback room is very stimulating.”
If the 49ers were able to trade Jones for a second- or third-round pick, they would have to bring in another veteran, because it’s hard to imagine rookie Kurtis Rourke making that big of a jump.
Jones said Monday he loves being a 49er but is open to anything.
“I’m on a two-year deal, but I believe I’m a starter in this league, and I’m excited to continue to get better this offseason and see what happens,” he said. “In a way, I had two good seasons in one. I had a season as a starter, kind of, and a season as a backup. It was just so fun to get, like they say, the train back on the tracks. That’s what I wanted to do. I put a lot of good film out there.”