The Vikings could already have their J.J. McCarthy insurance plan in mind for next season.
According to Pro Football Talk, there’s “already chatter” that the Vikings will look into trying to trade for 49ers quarterback Mac Jones this offseason.
Part of the equation will be whether the 49ers are for sure going to stay with Brock Purdy as their starting QB for the long term, though they could go through the 2026 season with both quarterbacks on the roster.
Mac Jones played under center for the 49ers this season in place of an injured Brock Purdy. Getty ImagesThe San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami has also recently suggested that the 49ers would be best served moving Jones after this season.
Jones signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract with San Francisco this past offseason.
“I’ve speculated for a while that, even though he signed a two-year deal with the 49ers last offseason, there might be a tacit agreement that the 49ers will try to do right by him next offseason after he played so well replacing Purdy for eight games this season,” Kawakami wrote.

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“It would be quite the luxury for the 49ers to have two starting-level quarterbacks next season, but with the league-wide shortage at this position, I think the 49ers would be best served to trade Jones to the highest bidder (which also would almost certainly be one that would give him every shot at a starting spot).”
The Vikings would surely benefit from adding a veteran option behind McCarthy next season, with the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft going 2-3 as a starter and completing less than 53 percent of his passes this season.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has struggled at the helm this year. Getty ImagesJones is 5-3 this season while under center and has helped guide the 49ers through a patch while Purdy was injured.
Jones has 201 completions for 2,151 yards and 13 touchdowns this campaign.






