A Vikings Trade for Mac Jones and the Spooky Possibility that Follows
If, in the end, the Vikings do make a trade for Mac Jones, then there may be a need to give the passer a new contract.
Last offseason, Mr. Jones went to San Francisco for the promise of a two-year contract for just $7 million. Not too shabby, right? Agreeing to that deal made sense for Jones last year when his NFL career was largely a disappointment. But then he has since played wonderfully on the field, raising hope that he could be a starter yet again. Does he need to be paid accordingly?
Mac Jones and A Possible Raise
To begin, Mr. Jones’s upside along the recent performance.
The quarterback is 27 and stands at 6’3″ while weighing 220 pounds. Consider, as well, that he played for Alabama in college (where he won a National Championship) before then getting drafted at No. 15 in the 2021 NFL Draft. Most recently, Jones completed a sizzling 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
Working in Jones’s favor was having Kyle Shanahan as the composer leading the orchestra. Even better, Christian McCaffrey was there to shoulder a heady burden.
In Minnesota, Kevin O’Connell is a good play caller, but he’s not Shanahan.
What would make a major difference is being able to throw to a second-to-none collection of pass catchers. Maybe the still-young veteran passer could torch the NFL if he was inserted into the Vikings’ offense. Maybe. There’s some uncertainty.
The really spooky part? Just that bringing Mac Jones to town may require handing over some meaty money.
Dustin Baker talked about the issue, bringing things around to the trade cost: “However, the significant obstacle is the potential acquisition cost. San Francisco reportedly wants a significant draft pick from a quarterback-needy team, a steep price that may deter Minnesota, given their recent draft history. The Vikings can’t waste any draft picks while hoping to heal from former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s awful draft classes.”
Further: “Think of it this way: Do you want the Vikings to trade a 1st- or 2nd-Round pick to San Francisco for Jones?”
Baker is asking important questions, just note that Mac Jones may then need an adjusted deal once arriving in Minnesota. How does forfeiting a 2nd before then sending out a beefy pay raise sound? Risky, right?
Part of what makes Jones so valuable to the 49ers is that he’s cheap. Again, they bought low, bringing him to town when he was viewed as a draft bust. The in-season success while filling in for Brock Purdy has raised expectations. So, too, has the success of Sam Darnold as a still-young passer who was viewed as a bust before getting to learn from Coach Shanahan.
Envision a world where Jones does end up in the Twin Cities. Great, that’s a nice boost. Would Minnesota really get him to play in 2026, though, on such a bargain-bin deal?
If he doesn’t require a new contract, then the trade is easier to manage since there aren’t two costs to pay: the draft picks (and/or players) sent to San Francisco alongside the added money. If, however, Mac Jones does want more money — he has earned far more — then that makes the risk scarier for the Vikings.
What’s certain is that the Vikings have only J.J. McCarthy alongside Max Brosmer at quarterback. Similarly certain is that neither played particularly well in 2025.
Likewise, there’s the widespread knowledge that Minnesota is going to add competition at quarterback since Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski have publicly acknowledged as much.
Landing Mac Jones would be good get for the Vikings. Quite exciting, even. There is some risk, though, isn’t there? Getting him to Minnesota at this stage is harder than it was last year. Costly in draft capital alongside the possibility of needing a new contract on the tail end.
Currently, Minnesota is expected to roll into the 2026 NFL Draft with nine selections. The cap space is showing a deficit of worse than $40 million.
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