Momentum Builds on Vikings QB Trade Idea
It’s an offseason talker, but the world is starting to think that the Minnesota Vikings will swing a trade for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones in a few months.
Momentum is building around a Minnesota Vikings quarterback trade idea as speculation, roster pressure, and timing push the discussion into focus.
Jones has played well this season in relief of Brock Purdy, who has battled injuries, and folks have tabbed Jones as the next big reclamation story — just like Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones.
Mac Jones Trade Theory Again Mentioned for Vikings
Perhaps there is smoke here.
SI.com Does the Honors This Time on Jones to Vikings
Grant Cohn of SI.com scripted a list of nine teams that could poke around Jones’ trade availability in the offseason, and the Vikings headlined the publication.
Cohn wrote Jones to Minnesota, “J.J. McCarthy doesn’t seem ready to start for a good team yet — his quarterback rating is just 61.7 despite playing with two of the NFL’s best wide receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.”
“The Vikings don’t have time to wait for McCarthy to develop. They’re ready to win now. Which means they could try to trade McCarthy and a third-round pick to the 49ers for Jones, who would be an instant upgrade. The 49ers might not want to trade Jones to the Vikings, though, considering he probably would put up big numbers and win lots of games. That would be a bad look for the 49ers.”
Just last week, Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio floated the same idea, so this theory will turn into a thing, especially when the offseason hits.
Additional QB Basically Inevitable in 2026
McCarthy has six games to change the narrative about himself, and that total is probably slimmer because the 22-year-old landed in the NFL’s concussion protocol on Monday.
But his efficiency has been so poor through six games that the Vikings’ front office is virtually guaranteed to find a contingency plan for 2026. Could you imagine the franchise selling fans a line of, “McCarthy will get better. Trust us.” And then that’s the sole plan in the offseason?
No, that won’t happen. Jobs will be on the line in 2026 if they’re not stripped at the end of 2025.
No matter what, an extra notable quarterback will be on his way to Minnesota via free agency, trade, or the draft.
A Pit Stop in San Francisco — Just Like Darnold
Jones has rekindled his career in San Francisco. He got the 49er treatment.
Two years ago, Sam Darnold did the same thing with the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan and Klint Kubiak. Kubiak now works with Darnold in Seattle, but the Shanahan connection between Darnold and Jones remains intact.
That’s a long way of saying there’s precedent for this. Stop in San Francisco — and then enroll in Kevin O’Connell’s school of quarterbacking. The parallel is tough to ignore.
Will the 49ers Let Him Go?
But here’s the kicker: Brock Purdy is injury-prone. When Jones filled in for him, he played wonderfully, so much so that some 49ers fans wondered if Jones was flat-out better.
Therefore, with Jones not scheduled to hit free agency, a Jones-needy team will need to propose a trade with San Francisco. Would general manager John Lynch willfully offload Jones to the highest bidder when he knows Jones can guide the ship in Purdy’s absence?
If so, at what price? Jones is assuredly the next appropriate example in the vein of Darnold and Daniel Jones’ comeback tale. Some team will need Jones. Would the Vikings, for example, be willing to send a mid-round pick to San Francisco for Jones? Would that be worth it?
Jones won’t be free, as the 49ers wisely signed him to a two-year deal during the most recent offseason. San Francisco could save him for a rainy day in 2026.
More Jones Landing Spots
Cohn also gave the Miami Dolphins a shoutout for Jones: “The Dolphins probably are stuck with Tua Tagovailoa for one more season, but that doesn’t mean they have to keep playing him. He’s not a starting quarterback. They need an upgrade, and Jones would be a significant one. In addition, Jones would fit the Dolphins’ system, considering their head coach, Mike McDaniel, used to be Shanahan’s offensive coordinator on the 49ers.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers, too: “Aaron Rodgers will be a free agent after this season and could retire. Even if he wants to keep playing, the Steelers might want someone younger. Theoretically, they could trade for Jones and give him a modest extension at the same time, and he wouldn’t have to compete for the job. This might be Jones’ preferred destination.“
And the Las Vegas Raiders: “The Raiders seem stuck with Geno Smith for one more year. But in the meantime, they could try to trade for Jones and have the two compete for the starting job in 2026. Jones most likely would win the competition. But the Raiders already got burned by one former 49ers quarterback — Jimmy Garoppolo. Maybe they’ll be hesitant to roll the dice on another one.”
Jones turned 27 last month — right in the middle of his career prime.
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