Once again, an ex-Patriots quarterback is headed to the 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have officially made acquiring former New England Patriot quarterbacks a habit. They’re now signing Mac Jones to a two-year, $7 million deal, according to Adam Schefter.
Jones’ career has witnessed a precipitous decline since his rookie year with the Patriots under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The 2021 first-round draft pick was relegated from a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2021, to a fringe Jaguars backup three years later in 2024.
But, joining the 49ers could be a tactical last ditch effort to salvage his chances as an NFL starter. Kyle Shanahan is widely regarded as an offensive guru and the 49ers have one of the league’s best blocking schemes and multiple high-end receiving weapons, making it an easy place to put a quarterback in position to succeed.
Plus, contract negotiations with current quarterback Brock Purdy have seemingly come to a head as he enters the last year of his deal. Jones, signing a two-year deal, will likely spend the first year of his contract backing up Purdy, but could find himself as a starting quarterback in 2026 if the Purdy wrinkles are not ironed out, not to mention the chance of injury.
Although he is still a ways away from becoming a No. 1 quarterback again, Mac Jones has set himself up in an interesting situation where he could eventually lead one of the NFL’s best-coached and most talented offenses.
Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.
