The San Francisco 49ers signed Mac Jones to a two-year, $7 million deal last offseason to be Brock Purdy's backup, but with the starter dealing with a toe injury throughout the year, Jones got more opportunities than expected.
In 2025, Jones appeared in 11 games and led the team to a 5-3 record in his eight starts while completing a career-high 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Now, with Jones proving he can succeed in the NFL, many are questioning if the 49ers could trade the quarterback this offseason for draft picks or a veteran to fill a position of need.
On Friday, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine suggested both, as he projected San Francisco could trade Jones to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 sixth-round pick end EDGE Nick Herbig.
"The 49ers had one of the worst pass rushes in the league last season. The Steelers could need a quarterback if Aaron Rodgers decides not to return for the 2026 season," Ballentine wrote. "Let's make a deal...
"If the Steelers can use Herbig to find a potentially long-term answer at quarterback that would be a good use of his breakout season. If the Niners can turn their backup quarterback into the player that leads the charge for their next generation of pass rush, that's a win."
The 49ers recorded the fewest sacks in the league in 2025, so they need to address their pass-rush unit. Adding Herbig, who recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks last year, to a group that will include Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams and Bryce Huff could help Raheem Morris' defense have a stronger 2026 than Robert Saleh's did in 2025..
At quarterback, San Francisco could go into the season with 2025 draft pick Kurtis Rourke or Adrian Martinez as their backup, as their both already on the roster. They could also search for another veteran in free agency or a draft pick this year.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL writer suggests 49ers trade Mac Jones to Steelers to fill big need