Story by
ESPN Says Vikings Should Trade for One QB in Particular
- Story by
- ESPN Says Vikings Should Trade for One QB in Particular
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings have a nearly full arsenal of draft picks to trade for a quarterback this offseason — if they're in the mood. And this week, ESPN's Bill Barnwell made no secret about the top trade option for the purple team, suggesting Minnesota should target Mac Jones from the San Francisco 49ers .
The Vikings can explore a Mac Jones trade, but ESPN's idea hinges on price and the team's faith in J.J. McCarthy .
Advertisement
Trades can be agreed upon at any time right now on the NFL calendar. If Minnesota plans to fire off a trade, there's no need to wait.
ESPN's Mac Jones Idea for Vikings Comes Down to Cost
Your Mac Jones takes have been vindicated by Barnwell.
Mac Jones loosens up on October 19, 2025, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, taking warmup reps during the fourth quarter as the 49ers host the Falcons, helmet on and arm live while staying ready along the sideline in a late-game NFC matchup. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.
Barnwell: Jones to MIN Beneifts SF and MIN
Barnwell sized up 11 hypothetical quarterback trades on Monday, and Jones to Minnesota turned heads.
He wrote , "Vikings get: QB Mac Jones, 2027 third-round pick. 49ers get: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick (conditional), 2028 third-round pick (conditional). In this deal, the 49ers get a second-rounder for a future third-rounder. There are also two conditional picks, which should help protect them if Jones blossoms in Minnesota."
Advertisement
"The 2027 conditional pick would trigger based on Jones' playing time with the Vikings. If he starts four games in 2026, the Vikings send a fifth-round pick out west. If Jones starts 12 games, that gets upped to a third-rounder."
Jones has recently stated that he loves the 49ers as an organization but also wants to start in the NFL, which probably won't happen behind Brock Purdy .
"And then, if Jones re-signs with the Vikings after the 2026 season and starts at least one game for the Vikings in 2027, the 49ers would land another third-round pick. If Jones spends just 2025 backing up McCarthy, the 49ers swap only the Day 2 picks," Barnwell continued.
"If Jones emerges as the long-term starter in Minnesota, though, the Vikings could send a second-rounder and two third-round picks to the 49ers — a price that Kevin O'Connell would surely be happy to pay for an upgrade at quarterback."
Advertisement
With a fan base buzzing for answers at quarterback this offseason, Barnwell's theory lit a match.
Finding the Next Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield
Jones's popularity will soar through the roof this offseason. Why? Well, Sam Darnold just helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has shown in three consecutive seasons that he's a consistent QB1 after being left for dead by the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
General managers and coaches will now scour the NFL for the "next Sam Darnold," and there's no better candidate than Jones, though Malik Willis , a free agent to be, may disagree.
Advertisement
Jones started eight games for the 49ers in 2025 when Purdy battled an injury, and when extrapolating that sample to 17 games, Jones provided 4,570 passing yards, 28 passing TDs, 13 INTs, and 69.6% completion rate. Yes, those are Darnoldian numbers.
NFL decision-makers will convince themselves — if they haven't already — that Jones needs to be rescued from his QB2 post, empowered by a new offensive staff, and unlocked as a sure-fire starter. Barnwell thinks the Vikings are the best spot for it.
Competition for J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy played great in about four games last season, all down the stretch, when the game apparently made more sense to him. But in his first starts, he battled injury and poor performance.
Advertisement
Barnwell noted on McCarthy, "The Vikings can't afford to leave J.J. McCarthy an uncontested path to their starting quarterback job again in 2026. He was a disaster for most of the season, and though he put together a better stretch to end 2025, that four-game run came against the Commanders (who were 30th in EPA per play against pass dropbacks), Cowboys (31st), Giants (17th, in a game where McCarthy threw 14 passes) and Packers (21st, McCarthy was facing second- and third-stringers for most of the game)."
"It's reasonable to say that McCarthy deserves more time, having started just 10 games during two seasons as a pro. Even if you're making that argument, though, the Vikings need real competition for him in camp. They also need a backup who can step in to play, given that McCarthy has missed 24 games over his first two years because of knee, concussion, hand and ankle injuries."
Mac Jones goes through pregame routines on November 2, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, throwing and stretching before the 49ers face the Giants, working methodically as teammates filter onto the field ahead of the afternoon kickoff. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images.
O'Connell may need an extra quarterback next to McCarthy in 2026 to ensure his team doesn't succumb to irrelevance if McCarthy gets hurt or plays poorly. Jones would arrive in Minnesota this spring or summer and immediately battle for the QB1 job.
Advertisement
In that scenario, it would be a "may the best man win" situation.
A Rather Expensive Trade
Under the hood, Barnwell's trade is quite spendy. If Jones met all the conditions, the Vikings would be on the hook for a 2nd-Rounder, 3rd-Rounder, and another 3rd-Rounder.
And it would make sense for Jones to be that expensive. San Francisco 's general manager, John Lynch, and head coach, Kyle Shanahan , have stated this offseason that they have no plans to trade Jones unless the offer blows them away.
Kevin O'Connell addresses reporters on October 13, 2025, at Vikings headquarters in Eagan, outlining injury updates and post-bye plans while detailing recovery timelines and the preparation focus for Minnesota's upcoming stretch of games. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
A 2nd-Round pick and two 3rd-Rounders would most defintely blow anyone away, especially for a quarterback who has never sustained long-term success.
Jones will turn 28 in September.
