Mac Jones. Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

49ers' new backup QB may not inspire much confidence

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Mar 12, 2025 11:35 PM ET

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has always seemed to be a fan of quarterback Mac Jones.

In August 2022, the coach told the "I Am Athlete" podcast he was considering taking Jones or QB Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Niners took Lance with pick No. 3, but that didn't work out. San Francisco traded Lance to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 after he went 2-2 in four starts in two seasons with the club.

Now, Shanahan is set to coach the QB he passed on in 2021. On Wednesday night, NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport tweeted Jones and the 49ers have agreed to a two-year, $7M deal with $5M guaranteed.

Source: Mac Jones has agreed to terms with the #49ers on a 2-year deal for $7M with 5M guaranteed. Max value of $11.5M. A new, experienced backup for Brock Purdy. pic.twitter.com/mSpazHZQ4e
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2025

Jones will likely serve as the backup to 49ers starting QB Brock Purdy. However, Shanahan may feel Jones — whom the New England Patriots selected with pick No. 15 in 2021 — could be an intriguing project.

In 2023, the 49ers signed QB Sam Darnold — a former New York Jets flop — to back up Purdy. He would only spend one season with the Niners, but his brief stint in San Francisco may have helped him salvage his career.

In 2024, Darnold signed with the Minnesota Vikings and finished fifth in the league in touchdown passes (35 in 17 starts). On Monday, he signed a three-year, $100.5M deal with the Seattle Seahawks.

"It was huge," Darnold said of his time with the Niners in September 2024. "Just being able to learn how they do things over there, not only schematically but as an organization. It was great to be a part of it for a year. The season we had last year was amazing to be a part of."

It's hard to envision that playing in San Francisco will be as beneficial for Jones.

He has regressed since making the Pro Bowl in his rookie season in 2021. In three seasons with New England, he went 18-24 in the regular season and posted a below-average 85.8 passer rating.

In 2024, he filled in for injured Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, going 2-5 in seven starts. During this span, he tossed the same number of touchdown passes and interceptions (eight).

Purdy staying healthy for the entire season would be the best-case scenario for the Niners. It's unclear if Jones can step in and win games, even if Shanahan likes him.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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