A wild trade idea is floating around, suggesting the San Francisco 49ers might send backup QB Mac Jones to the Philadelphia Eagles, but trust me, this “dream” scenario for some pundits is looking more like a full-blown nightmare for Kyle Shanahan and the Niners. Conor Orr from Sports Illustrated tossed this out, thinking the Eagles need a shakeup with Tanner McKee’s instability and Jalen Hurts’ blood clot situation raising questions about 2027. The kicker? He thinks the 49ers would bring back Jimmy Garoppolo as Brock Purdy’s backup. But there are three HUGE reasons this isn’t happening, and it’s all about how much Shanahan values what he’s already got.
Mac Jones Is the Bargain Shanahan Can’t Quit
The 49ers are not giving up on Mac Jones, period. Shanahan knows what he has in Jones, especially after last season. When Brock Purdy went down in 2025, Jones stepped up, going 5-3 in eight starts, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. His 69.6% completion rate kept San Francisco’s playoff hopes alive. That’s above replacement-level play, folks! Plus, the dude is on a cheap deal with just a $3.1 million cap hit this season. Why would you move off a competent insurance policy at quarterback who knows your system inside and out, especially when Shanahan has needed to play multiple quarterbacks pretty much every season he’s been head coach? Reports are talking about a second-round pick as an asking price, but given Jones’ value and low cost, there’s just no incentive for the 49ers to part ways with him.
Jimmy G’s Return? No Thanks, Said Kyle Shanahan
And then there’s the other side of this “dream” trade: bringing back Jimmy Garoppolo. Let’s be real, this is a weird choice to replace Jones. Jimmy G started for San Francisco from 2017 to 2022, even leading them to a Super Bowl LIV run before Purdy took over. But his departure was not smooth. The 49ers literally traded up for Trey Lance to replace him, setting up a strange couple of years before injuries opened the door for Purdy. Shanahan wanted to move on from Garoppolo back then for a reason. So why in the world would he think an older version of that same player would be any better as a backup now? And why would Garoppolo even consider returning as a backup to the team that moved on from him? He effectively retired this year after failing to reach a deal with the Arizona Cardinals and deciding not to go back to the Los Angeles Rams as a backup. Asking him to come back to San Francisco in the same role, backing up Purdy, would be a tough sell and absolutely no upgrade over Jones.
The trade deadline on Nov. 10 is fast approaching, and the 49ers are laser-focused on their legitimate title aspirations. They kicked off the season with one of the league’s longest winning streaks, and there’s zero chance Shanahan jeopardizes that for a “dream” trade that feels more like a bad dream. Expect Mac Jones to stay put, period.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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