Mac Jones, the $3.25M QB Nobody Wants to Trade For — And Why That Could Change Before the Draft

Mac Jones was supposed to be one of the most intriguing trade chips of the 2026 NFL offseason. A former first-round pick. A quarterback who quietly resurrected his career as Brock Purdy's backup in San Francisco. A player under contract for just $3.25 million in 2026 — one of the most team-friendly QB deals in the league. And yet, as the NFL Scouting Combine wraps up in Indianapolis and the league year approaches, the phone at 49ers headquarters is not ringing. Not yet, anyway. The Situation: What's Happening With Mac Jones San Francisco signed Jones to a two-year deal last year, giving the organization complete control over his rights heading into 2026. The 49ers have publicly stated they don't want to trade their backup quarterback — 49ers GM John Lynch told reporters at the Combine that it would take a "fairly strong" offer for San Francisco to even consider moving Jones. "He's really good for us, and we value that," Lynch said. "We're a better team with him on it." Translation: they aren't giving him away. But behind the posturing, the reality is more nuanced. The 49ers were reportedly surprised that no team had come forward with an offer of at least a third-round pick for Jones's services. That surprise tells you everything about the gap between what San Francisco believes Jones is worth and what the current market is actually offering. Why No One Is Calling — Yet The explanation is straightforward. With the legal tampering period not starting until March 9 and the new league year opening March 11, quarterback-needy teams are currently prioritising free agent options that don't cost a draft pick. Why trade a second or third-round pick for Mac Jones when Malik Willis, Kyler Murray, and other quarterbacks are potentially available on the open market? Once the initial wave of free agency subsides and the starting quarterback vacancies have been filled, the calculus changes. Teams that still haven't addressed the position may then turn to the trade market — and Jones becomes considerably more attractive. There's also the contract wrinkle. At $3.25 million, Jones's deal is a steal for a backup — but any team trading for him with the intention of making him a starter or a genuine competition threat will likely need to restructure his deal upward. That adds another layer of complexity to negotiations and makes the math harder to pencil out for cap-strapped franchises. The Teams Most Likely to Call Several franchises have been linked to Jones in varying degrees of seriousness heading into the offseason. The Minnesota Vikings are in a precarious quarterback situation after J.J. McCarthy's disappointing 2025 season — and Jones represents a credible bridge option who could compete for or hold the starting job while the organisation reassesses its long-term plan under centre. The New York Jets are another name that keeps surfacing. The Steelers remain in the mix, though their situation depends entirely on whether Aaron Rodgers returns for a second season in Pittsburgh. If Rodgers walks, Jones becomes a serious option. The Miami Dolphins — despite cap constraints from Tua Tagovailoa's contract — have also been discussed as a potential suitor. The Indianapolis Colts, who gave Jones the platform for his career resurgence by starting him in 2024 before his Achilles tear, remain the most emotionally logical landing spot. A reunion in Indianapolis would make narrative sense — Jones knows the city, he knows what he can do in the right system, and the Colts have a genuine need at the position. The 49ers' Long Game Here is the detail that adds a fascinating dimension to this entire situation: if the 49ers simply hold onto Jones for the 2026 season and let him walk in free agency ahead of 2027, they could be in line for a compensatory third-round pick in the 2028 NFL Draft. That's a meaningful asset — and it means San Francisco has no urgency to accept a subpar offer. They can afford to wait. Every week that passes without a trade offer only reinforces the 49ers' leverage. The 2027 NFL Draft is expected to be an exceptionally loaded quarterback class. Teams that know they're going to be in the market for a franchise quarterback next year may prefer to wait for that draft rather than paying up for Jones now. The 49ers are well aware of this dynamic — and it gives them every reason to be patient. What Happens Next The NFL offseason moves fast once the new league year opens on March 11. If Kyler Murray lands in Minnesota, the Vikings are out of the Mac Jones picture entirely. If the Jets address their quarterback need in free agency, another potential suitor disappears. Every domino that falls in the open market narrows or expands the field of teams that might eventually make a run at Jones. Mac Jones is not a franchise quarterback. He has never been. But he is a smart, experienced, tough-minded NFL starter who can win games in the right system — as he proved in Indianapolis in 2024 before his injury. At $3.25 million, he remains one of the most quietly compelling value propositions in the entire offseason quarterback market. The phone will ring eventually. The only question is who picks it up first. For all the latest NFL offseason coverage, follow digital8hub.com.