"The Niners trading Jones to a desperate team has been discussed so early and so frequently that some might presume it's a foregone conclusion: he's gone at the end of the year. I don't see it that way. Here is the thing about the 49ers that seems to have been forgotten or ignored: The 49ers love absolutely love compensatory picks. They can't get enough of them. They crave them. They view the comp pick formula not as a league rule, but as a religious text."
"And right now, Jones is a walking, talking, clipboard-holding third-round pick. Jones' work this season has been fantastic; a masterclass in reputation rehabilitation. The Shanahan Shine is already on him. So if the Niners let him play out his contract, shake his hand, and watch him sign a solid $20-to-$30 (maybe $40) million-dollar deal elsewhere in free agency come the end of the 2026 season, the league office will essentially FedEx a third-round pick (fourth at worst) to Santa Clara."
The NFL's offseason quarterback market is driven by desperation and early speculation. Multiple teams want Mac Jones and the 49ers face trade pressure. The 49ers prioritize accumulating compensatory picks and treat the comp-pick formula as strategically vital. Mac Jones currently functions as a walking third-round compensatory asset after strong play and reputation rehabilitation. Letting Jones finish his contract and sign elsewhere in free agency would likely net a third- or fourth-round compensatory pick in 2026. The 49ers prefer that predictable draft compensation as insurance against quarterback fragility instead of trading him now for comparable value.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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