In San Francisco, the quarterback decision that seemed settled is suddenly causing ripples.
The San Francisco 49ers‘ starter, Brock Purdy, is on the verge of returning from his turf-toe injury, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear there is no quarterback controversy: “It’s just more about Brock’s health,” Shanahan said.
Meanwhile, his backup, Mac Jones, has compiled a 5-3 record with 2,151 passing yards and 13 touchdowns in eight starts.
The juxtaposition has opened the door to a scenario few expected: trading Jones while his value is high.
Purdy, who signed a five-year, $265 million extension this offseason, missed the early part of the season dealing with a toe and shoulder injury.
Jones stepped in and has since yielded one of the more under-the-radar backup success stories in the league.
But as Shanahan affirmed, the starter job was never truly in jeopardy: “It’s not a hard decision,” Shanahan explained when asked if Jones could supplant Purdy.
Now, as the team prepares for Purdy‘s return, the 49ers face the strategic question of either keeping Jones for the foreseeable future at a backup rate or trading him to snag draft capital.
A rare quarterback quandary
Jones signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal in March, underlining his intended role as a reliable secondary option.
But backup now looks more like starter material. His strong numbers, paired with Purdy‘s recent injury history, make the San Francisco front office’s decision all the more difficult.
In a recent piece, The Athletic’s Mike Sando noted that trading Jones remains unlikely this offseason, given Purdy‘s durability concerns, but acknowledged the logic of cashing in while Jones‘s stock is high.
From a business and roster vantage, the logic is clear. Jones offers upside and affordability; concurrently, Purdy represents the long-term investment.
The trade scenario positions Jones as a commodity whose value might never be higher, yet walking away from a dependable backup could expose the quarterback depth chart in a way the organization may find risky.
Purdy, for his part, has publicly backed Jones and downplayed any competitive tension. “I absolutely love Mac and what he’s done,” Purdy said. “He came in and played extremely well and kept our team alive and moving and going.”
Shanahan has used similar language, acknowledging Jones’s contributions, “It’s been awesome how Mac has played. He has been great.”
But he hasn’t wavered in his stance that Purdy remains the leader.
With the team sitting at 6-4 and navigating a deep injury list, continuity and clarity at quarterback take on outsized importance.
The window is now opening for the 49ers to make a consequential roster decision at quarterback.
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