Nearly four years after the dramatic 2021 NFL Draft and the gripping weeks that preceded its No. 3 overall pick, Mac Jones has joined the 49ers.
The quarterback signed a two-year deal with a base value of $7 million — and a maximum value of $11.5 million with incentives — to be Brock Purdy’s backup. In total, $5 million of the contract is guaranteed.
A vast majority of analysts incorrectly predicted Jones would be the 49ers’ selection at No. 3 in 2021, but coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch picked another quarterback instead: Trey Lance.
On Wednesday, the 49ers technically reversed that decision, picking Jones over Lance — as both were free agents. The former No. 15 overall pick of the New England Patriots will now sit behind Purdy, who became Pick No. 262 — the very last selection of the draft — in 2022.
The former Mr. Irrelevant has been the league’s most efficient QB since entering, while Jones has been the second-least efficient of all qualifiers (better than only Justin Fields, another prospect in that hotly-debated 2021 draft class).
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Basically, draft order and performance in this case have been very inversely correlated; consider that Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, is also a poor performer on the bottom left of the graph below.
Especially relevant tonight: Since that stirring April draft process four years ago, here's how qualifying NFL QBs have performed in terms of efficiency.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 13, 2025
Justin Fields and Mac Jones have been the two worst.
Brock Purdy has been the very best. pic.twitter.com/YrL8fGlTFY
So yes, the football gods definitely have a sense of humor.
On a serious note, Jones seems to be a good choice to be Purdy’s backup. He isn’t nearly as athletic as the starter and the No. 2 QB spot is more about delivering a decently high floor than a high ceiling. Shanahan clearly thinks Jones brings that to the table.
After a respectable first season, Jones failed as a starter over his next two seasons with the Patriots. He was benched in Year 3 and traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served as Trevor Lawrence’s backup in 2024 to complete his rookie contract.
Jones’ career path so far has been reminiscent of Sam Darnold’s first four years in the league — featuring mostly bad play with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers — before joining the 49ers as Purdy’s backup in 2023.
Darnold recalibrated in his season working with Shanahan, Purdy, and then-49ers QB coach Brian Griese. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, helmed a 14-3 record, and recently earned a contract worth over $100 million with the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers are scheduled to face Darnold twice this season.
Can Jones similarly rehabilitate his career with the 49ers? He doesn’t have the physical upside of Darnold, who moves very well and packs a rocket arm. But there’s a lot to be said about instilling confidence in a young quarterback, and perhaps the 49ers can help Jones — who’s still only 26 — do just that.
Jones won’t be the starter unless Purdy, the franchise quarterback who’s due to sign a massive extension this offseason, gets hurt. But Darnold benefited greatly even though he started only one game in his season with the 49ers. Plus, Jones will have a familiar face leading him: Mick Lombardi, who was on New England’s staff as a receivers coach for Jones’ rookie season in 2021, has replaced Griese as the 49ers’ QB coach.
Everything has come full circle — including the humor of the football gods.