The coming quarterback carousel may not include Mac Jones.
Per The Athletic, a market has not yet emerged for the backup to 49ers starter Brock Purdy.
It makes sense. With plenty of free-agent options currently available — and with more coming as cuts are made — quarterback-needy teams are far more likely to consider players who could be acquired without losing a draft pick.
The 49ers wisely signed Jones to a two-year deal last year, giving them full control over his rights for 2026. They say they don’t want to trade him, but that’s surely posturing. For the right price, they’d find another No. 2 for the coming season.
Jones is due to make only $3.25 million in 2026. If someone trades for him with the idea of making him the starter or a competitor for the job, he may want a raise. That adds another wrinkle to the situation.
For now, it makes sense for the teams that are looking for quarterbacks to look to the open market. Once the initial wave subsides, a team that has yet to satisfactorily address the position may decide to make a play for the 2021 first-round pick.