1 Vikings QB Target “Checks More Boxes” Than Others
The NFL offseason is slowly entering the hot phase of free agency. In the Twin Cities, all eyes are on the quarterback position. Speculation has centered on the possibility of adding a veteran arm to pair with the talented but inconsistent QB1, J.J. McCarthy.
Names in the rumor mill are endless, and it doesn’t help that it’s unclear whether the Vikings want to replace or challenge McCarthy. One guy, however, keeps surfacing as an option and that’s 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones.
Last week, Alec Lewis of The Athletic mentioned him in an article after asking the question, “Which of the available quarterback options makes the most sense?”
He wrote, “There is perhaps no candidate who checks more boxes for what the Vikings are looking for than San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones.”
Jones is still under contract with the San Francisco 49ers and would require trade compensation to go the other way. His level of play and experience certainly fit the job description.
Lewis added, “He has the pedigree as a former first-rounder. Like former Vikings starter Sam Darnold, he spent a season with Kyle Shanahan in a similar system. Jones pushes the ball over the middle of the field. He anticipates. His guaranteed salary for 2026 is only $1 million. And he has shown an ability to play through injury and win games for a locker room that quickly embraced him.”
The Shanahan-O’Connell quarterback pipeline has been a win for the Vikings in the past and Jones could follow a similar developmental path seen with Sam Darnold.
Jones started 8 games in place of Brock Purdy in 2025, going 5-3 in the process to keep the season afloat. His numbers of 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions are impressive. Sure, passers generally benefit from Shanahan’s offense, but it’s undoubtedly noteworthy that the receivers were injured for most of the season, and he was frequently throwing to pass-catchers the club had just picked up on the waiver wire or had stashed on the practice squad or in the depths of the roster.
Because he kept the offense going with a skeleton supporting cast, the 49ers would likely seek significant compensation and have little incentive to move Jones.
Lewis pointed to Dianna Russini, who is the top reporter at The Athletic: “The biggest hurdle here might be prying Jones from San Francisco. The 49ers are going to drive a hard bargain. ‘For teams looking to swing a deal for 49ers backup QB Mac Jones,’ The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported a couple of weeks ago, ‘I’m told San Francisco is not looking to part with the 2021 first-rounder. Things and offers can change, but the 49ers’ preference is to keep their Brock Purdy-Jones tandem intact for 2026.'”
Ultimately, every player is available for the right price and the 49ers won’t keep the door closed if someone’s making a strong enough offer for their backup quarterback.
Lewis noted, “If the 49ers keep Jones, they’ll be in line for a solid compensatory pick after the 2026 season. This increases their leverage, which will drive up the cost for Jones.”
With the compensatory pick waiting down the line, a Day 2 pick could be required, given San Francisco’s leverage.
Lewis also pointed to other quarterbacks, “Plenty of other veteran quarterbacks could operate O’Connell’s offense with varying degrees of effectiveness and upside. Murray, Geno Smith and Kirk Cousins could be looking for new teams, while Derek Carr would entertain the idea of un-retiring to lead a team like the Vikings.”
Smith is the odd man out in Las Vegas, but like Carr, he’ll have to be acquired via trade. Cousins and Murray, meanwhile, are expected to end up on the chopping block ahead of free agency if nobody is willing to trade for their services and expensive contracts.
At the end of the day, there are pros and cons for every possible option, but Lewis is right, Jones checks many of the boxes. Unlike those four names, he doesn’t enter the market with injury or age concerns and he is coming off a much stronger season.
He’ll turn 28 in September.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.