By Conor Ryan
March 12, 2025
Former Patriots QB Mac Jones is reportedly heading to the West Coast.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Jones is signing a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers for $7 million. The deal has $5 million in guaranteed money, with Jones expected to slot in as the Niners’ primary backup QB behind Brock Purdy.
Jones — who spent the first three seasons of his NFL career in New England after being drafted 15th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft — spent the 2024 campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars after the Patriots traded him for a sixth-round pick.
Initially expected to be a backup behind Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, Jones found himself pressed into QB1 reps after Lawrence was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Jones appeared in 10 total games with the Jags in 2024 — completing 65.3 percent of his passes with 1,672 yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Jacksonville went 2-5 in Jones’ seven starts down the final stretch of the 2024 campaign.
His decision to sign on with the 49ers links him up with Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan, who has spoken highly of Jones in the past. The 49ers had an opportunity to select Jones with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft — ultimately choosing North Dakota State QB Trey Lance instead.
In August 2022 — long before Lance completely bottomed out as a draft bust — Shanahan admitted that he was conflicted over choosing between Jones and Lance with that third pick.
“Mac,” Shanahan said on the “I Am Athlete” podcast when asked what other QB he was considering alongside Lance. “Yeah, Mac Jones and Trey. Those were the two guys that we were locked in on from the beginning, and if we never moved up to [No. 3], we would have never had the chance to learn more about Trey.
“That was the hardest thing. You’ve got to be so sneaky and stuff when you’re back there because you don’t want people hopping in front of you, and I had a very strong feeling people were going to hop in front of us.”
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