A recent mock trade proposal involving the San Francisco 49ers swapping quarterback Mac Jones for Minnesota Vikings passer J.J. McCarthy is drawing skepticism—and for good reason.

The idea, floated by Sports Illustrated contributor Mark Morales-Smith, suggests the Vikings could look to move on from McCarthy, a former first-round pick who has failed to live up to expectations. In this scenario, the 49ers would acquire McCarthy while sending Jones to Minnesota in a swap, with the Vikings adding a fourth-round pick to complete the deal.


Why would the 49ers be interested in the Vikings' failed project? Even the writer suggesting the trade doesn't sound very confident while breaking down potential reasons.

The most logical reason points to contract timelines—Jones is set to hit free agency in 2027, while McCarthy remains under his rookie deal for a year longer—as a potential incentive. He also suggests head coach Kyle Shanahan could view McCarthy as another reclamation project.

"Kyle Shanahan is a guy who could think that he could get the most out of a former 10th overall pick and fix him," Morales-Smith wrote. "At least to the point that he's a serviceable backup. Similarly to what he did with Jones.

"It makes a lot more sense for San Francisco to get what they can for Jones at the peak of his value rather than keeping him as a backup and letting him walk after this season."

However, the proposal quickly falls apart under closer scrutiny. Even Morales-Smith admits that the chances of McCarthy succeeding at the NFL level are slim.


"McCarthy was not a good prospect coming out of college and should have never been selected as a top 10 overall pick," he wrote, "but even mediocre quarterbacks can thrive in Kevin O'Connell's offense, throwing to Justin Jefferson. That wasn't the case for McCarthy, who was awful."

The 49ers have shown little interest in moving Jones, who proved to be a reliable backup behind Brock Purdy. When asked if there was ever a point during the offseason that the team thought it might lose Jones, Shanahan offered a blunt response: "No, there wasn't."

While trade interest in Jones hasn't been what most expected, the teams that have inquired about the quarterback were left shocked by the asking price.

"A few teams have called the San Francisco 49ers about QB Mac Jones," NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported, "but many interested around the league describe their price as 'astronomical.'"

That stance signals the 49ers have no real desire to part ways with the veteran quarterback.


And it's easy to see why. Jones filled in admirably during the 2025 season while Purdy recovered from a turf toe injury. He went 5-3 in eight starts, throwing for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions—solid production that helped keep San Francisco in playoff contention.

Jones' performance also allowed Purdy to fully recover without being rushed back into action.

The bottom line: a Jones-for-McCarthy swap makes little sense for the 49ers. Even with an added draft pick, the proposed deal would create more uncertainty at the most important position on the roster.

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