The 49ers Made the Best Signing in the NFL this Offseason

And it's not particularly close.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The 49ers were so fortunate to add this person to their team this offseason.

No, I'm not talking about defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. He has been the second-best addition to the 49ers this year. They're 4-1 with him running their defense, while the New York Jets are 3-14 since they fired him as their head coach last season.

But as good as Saleh has been for the 49ers, they would not be 4-1 if they hadn't signed Mac Jones. He is currently saving their season after Brock Purdy injured his toe in Week 1. If the 49ers' backup quarterbacks were Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen, the two backups from last season, the 49ers would be 1-4.

How Mac Jones is saving the 49ers' season

Prime Thursday Night Football sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung (left) interviews San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10). / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

To say that Jones is playing well for a backup quarterback is an understatement. Through three starts, he's undefeated, he has a 6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and leads the NFL in pass attempts per game and passing yards per game. He's outperforming the 49ers' franchise quarterback, Brock Purdy, who keeps throwing interceptions and getting injured.

In two games this season, Purdy has thrown 73 passes and 4 interceptions, which means his interception percentage is a grotesque 5.5. Meanwhile, in three games this season, Jones has thrown 129 passes and just one pick, which means his interception percentage is a microscopic 0.8. And he's doing it without a running game. And he has yet to play a snap with George Kittle. Remarkable stuff.

And here's the best part about Jones -- he signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract this offseason, which means he's getting paid slightly more than their fullback, who plays 35 percent of the offensive snaps and touches the ball a couple times per game. He's not worth the money the 49ers pay him, but Jones is.

This is why Jones was the best signing in the NFL this offseason. He's playing like a high-level veteran starter, and he's getting paid like a backup. The fact that the 49ers can get this type of production from a journeyman such as Jones means that they should think long and hard before spending big money on a quarterback in the future.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13). / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Which brings us to Purdy, who might have been the worst signing in the NFL this offseason. No offense to Purdy, but he's getting paid $53 million per season, and he's not worth it. He simply isn't $49 million per season better than Jones.

In fact, Purdy might not be better than Jones at all. Purdy has become a turnover machine the more he has played with the 49ers, while Jones has been remarkably mistake-free since joining forces with Kyle Shanahan.

If Jones keeps winning, the 49ers will have no choice but to let him keep playing until he comes back to Earth, if that ever happens.

Sorry, Brock.

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