After watching Sam Darnold win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, NFL teams are going to be obsessed with finding the next reclamation project success story at quarterback.
And if history is going to repeat itself, the San Francisco 49ers are doing their part to make that happen. The 49ers were the team that helped rehabilitate Darnold for a season before he won 14 games with the Vikings, signed a massive contract in Seattle, and won the Super Bowl.
Now, the 49ers have another coveted asset on their roster in former first-round pick Mac Jones, whose play in relief of the injured Brock Purdy last season certainly drew a lot of attention. Jones will be coveted in a trade this offseason, but what teams make the most sense to give up what it takes to get him (likely a 2nd-round pick)?
3 teams that make sense for Mac Jones if 49ers are willing to trade him in 2026
1. Minnesota Vikings
We've put the Minnesota Vikings on just about every list to acquire quarterbacks this offseason. Whether we're talking about Derek Carr coming out of retirement, bringing in Malik Willis, or going after some other veteran, the Vikings seem like an ideal landing spot for any veteran quarterback.
But given the fact that the Vikings had so much success with Darnold, maybe they'd be the best spot for Mac Jones, not just the other way around.
The Vikings' timeline with JJ McCarthy has changed. The last two seasons have proven that McCarthy is still raw in many areas and certainly not a guarantee to be available health-wise. Mac Jones has taken his game to the next level under Kyle Shanahan, and would be able to instantly translate to the Kevin O'Connell offense.
2. Atlanta Falcons
Mac Jones is from the state of Florida, so he would probably welcome the idea of playing in the southeast part of the country again.
The Falcons are under new management with Matt Ryan taking over the operation and Kevin Stefanski taking over as head coach. Michael Penix Jr. wasn't picked by anyone in the Falcons' organization currently, and coming off of a major injury, he's not likely in the team's long-term vision at the quarterback position anymore.
The Falcons need veteran competition for Penix, and Jones looks like he could steal his job outright. He might be the type of addition at quarterback that helps this team take the division in Stefanski's first season with the team.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have a plethora of draft picks and certainly every reason to take a chance on a player like Mac Jones.
They don't have a connection to the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree at offensive coordinator, but certainly you feel like this Jets team could benefit from Jones taking over at the quarterback position.
If this team can find a way to raise the floor at the position, they'll be able to at least be a thorn in the side of the rest of the AFC East this coming season.