The San Francisco 49ers have one of the NFL's more enviable situations at quarterback heading into the 2026 season. Brock Purdy is firmly established as the team's starter, but the 49ers also have a proven backup in Mac Jones who showed last season that he can step in and keep the offense moving. That could make Jones one of the team's most important contract decisions after the 2026 season.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report recently identified Jones as San Francisco's most important contract decision heading into the upcoming season, pointing to the quarterback's resurgence in 2025. After a promising start to his career with the New England Patriots, Jones' career appeared to be trending in the wrong direction. However, his opportunity with the 49ers changed the narrative.
When Purdy was sidelined with an injury last season, Jones stepped into the starting role and made eight starts. He responded with career-best numbers, completing 69.6 percent of his passes while posting a 97.4 passer rating. Now, Jones wants to prove that his success wasn't a one-year fluke.
"I feel like it's time to stack some good years here," Jones told reporters. "I'm looking at it as a positive; building on it, I guess, is the right word. You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself like, 'Oh, I've got to do what I did last year.' You also don't want to be satisfied with what you did."
That's where things could get complicated for the 49ers. Jones is currently playing on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million. If he continues to perform well in 2026, his value could increase significantly, and the 49ers could find themselves in a difficult position.
Purdy is the team's unquestioned starter, but the 49ers have seen firsthand how valuable it is to have a capable quarterback waiting in the wings. Given Purdy's own injury history, having a backup with starting experience who can confidently operate Kyle Shanahan's offense is a luxury San Francisco may not want to lose. The problem is that Jones may eventually have an opportunity to become a starter elsewhere.
If Jones is forced into action and puts together another strong season, it could be difficult for the 49ers to convince him to remain in San Francisco as a backup when another team may be willing to give him a chance to compete for a starting job. And if the 49ers want to keep him, it will likely cost considerably more than the $4.5 million he's making this season.
There also could be the temptation to trade Jones to a quarterback-needy team this year. There undoubtedly will be a team that needs a new signal-caller because of injury. Can the 49ers be persuaded to trade away their QB2? If the price is right, it's certainly possible.
For now, San Francisco can enjoy having one of the league's better backup quarterbacks. But if Jones continues to build on his 2025 performance, the 49ers may have to make a difficult decision: Pay a premium to keep a proven backup behind Purdy or allow Jones to pursue a starting opportunity elsewhere.
It's a good problem to have. But it's a problem nonetheless.
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