New trade update on 49ers' Mac Jones emerges after Giants' J.J. McCarthy swing

Almost immediately after the New York Giants lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for at least the rest of the regular season on Sept. 21, many members of the NFL community linked the Giants with San Francisco 49ers backup Mac Jones.

However, the Giants ultimately went in a different direction when they agreed this past Monday to send the Minnesota Vikings a 2027 fifth-round draft pick for third-year pro J.J. McCarthy. On Wednesday, NFL insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano shared an update on Jones' short-term future. 

What would it cost a team to land Mac Jones before the Nov. 10 trade deadline? 

"It would take real draft capital -- perhaps a Day 2 pick -- to get in the door on Jones," Fowler wrote. "(49ers starter) Brock Purdy is playing at an MVP level, but he also sat out [eight] games last season, with Jones filling in admirably. San Francisco could be there at the end if its aging roster holds up, so it makes little sense to deal Jones right now."

Jones went 5-3 last season when Purdy was unavailable due to a toe injury. More recently, Purdy helped the Niners open the ongoing season with three consecutive wins. ESPN stats show that he began Wednesday leading the NFL among qualified passers with a 93.8 adjusted QBR for the campaign. Per Pro-Football-Reference, Purdy ended Week 3 holding a league-best 133.1 passer rating, and he's tied for the league lead with nine touchdown passes. 

Could "desperate" team change 49ers' minds on Mac Jones trade?

"The 49ers have said they aren't interested in dealing him, and I believe it would take a lot to change their minds," Graziano added about Jones. "But if someone gets desperate enough, who knows?"

Graziano's update could lead one to believe that the 49ers may want as high as a first-round draft pick for Jones this fall. History suggests no team would pay such a price for a backup, but it's possible that a contender could lose a QB1 to an injury before the trade deadline arrives on Nov. 10. 

As for the unbeaten 49ers, they will host the 2-1 Denver Broncos this coming Sunday afternoon. On Wednesday, DraftKings Sportsbook had San Francisco as a three-point home favorite for that matchup.