An Under-Discussed Resolution to Mac Jones' Future with the 49ers

This makes too much sense.

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The San Francisco 49ers have made it clear that they have no plans to trade Mac Jones unless they are blown away by an offer. Mac Jones has made it clear that he enjoys playing for the 49ers and that he is not in a rush to leave a coach who believes in him. While most assume that Jones will play out the last year of his contract and then enter free agency, is there a chance that the two sides can come to an extension this offseason?

Could the San Francisco 49ers extend Mac Jones this offseason?

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On the 49ers' side, they are likely hoping that Jones wants to sign an extension. Having a quality backup quarterback that you can win games with is one of the more underrated pieces of a football roster. San Francisco would not have gone nearly as far this past year if it were not for Jones. 

Brock Purdy proved that he can play well enough to lead the franchise, but he has had a few injury scares, and it would be nice to have the reliability behind him. Jones signed a two-year, $7M last year. 

Russell Wilson is making $10M per year, and while he did start, the assumption was that he would eventually be a backup. Marcus Mariota is one of the highest-paid backups in the NFL and is making $8M per year. 

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For the 49ers, bumping Jones salary from $3.5M per year to the $9-10M range is not that big of a raise for the comfort of having Jones on the roster. Beyond that, they can likely make the hips small due to bonuses. They should offer Jones a two-year, $19M extension this offseason.

It is a tougher debate for Jones. On one hand, that is a raise of nearly $6M per year. He gets a lot of cash upfront, and he now has money guaranteed to him next season. There is a world where Jones does not play this upcoming season, his reputation quiets, and he ends up signing a similar deal in free agency next offseason. Why not lock in the deal?

The other end is that Jones likely views himself as a starting quarterback. His play was good enough, and he is a former first-round pick. Jones can sit this year, sign to start for a team next year, and the hope for him is that he becomes the next Sam Darnold. A raise for $6M sounds nice, but $100M over three years sounds better. 

Either way, Jones will be betting on himself. Will he bet on stability and a locked-in salary, or will he bet on himself to hit the jackpot?