Mac Jones played really well for San Francisco last year. So did Brock Purdy in the second half of the season, and he's the one with the huge contract. What does the future hold for Jones?
He's under contract, so San Francisco can bring him back as its No. 2, but that's pretty unlikely. Quarterback being as important as it is in the league, someone will offer the 49ers a deal they can't refuse. Sam Darnold spent a year as a backup quarterback in Kyle Shanahan's offense, and stepped out of that to put up big numbers with the Vikings and lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win. So yes, there will be suitors for Jones.
The reasonable question is whether Jones will be as successful outside of Shanahan's system. Not everyone works out as well as Sam Darnold. Jimmy Garoppolo, for example, was a lot better in San Francisco than with the Raiders (averaging about 60 fewer passing yards per game). Nick Mullens put up solid numbers for the 49ers, and he did come out of that offense to have some big yardage games with the Vikings. But he lost all three of his starts and threw 8 interceptions in those games, attracting zero interest as a starter when available last offseason (he spent the year backing up Trevor Lawrence).
Table shows Jones' passing averages as a starter with San Francisco, and with New England and Jacksonville. He averaged about 50-70 more passing yards last year and twice as many touchdown passes per game. (Jones' sack, turnover and minimal rushing numbers were pretty similar for all three teams, so I ditched those.) Not that Jones didn't do some good things as a rookie starter in New England, but his San Francisco work was a whole lot better.
| MAC PASSING AVERAGES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Starts | Yards | TDs |
| N.E. | 42 | 222 | 1.2 |
| JAX | 7 | 201 | 0.9 |
| S.F. | 8 | 269 | 2.0 |
Quarterbacks get better. What Jones did with San Francisco last year, starting nearly half the season for a 12-win team (he went 5-3) is really impressive.
But I'm going to be cautious. If Minnesota trades for him and puts him in Kevin O'Connell's system, sign me up. Maybe the Colts, if they can't work out a deal with Daniel Jones.
But if the Jets or Dolphins are the ones to offer San Francisco the best deal for Jones? Hard pass, I think. For his sake, I hope it's somewhere else.
--Andy Richardson
