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Vikings QB Target Sounds like He Wants to Be Traded
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- Vikings QB Target Sounds like He Wants to Be Traded
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings have all but confirmed they will add another quarterback this offseason, probably via trade or free agency. And based on the landscape of possibly available signal-callers, San Francisco 49ers QB2 Mac Jones might move the needle. Wouldn't you know it? He sure sounded like a guy this week who would welcome a trade.
The fit runs through Shanahan roots, a more straightforwardpath to snaps, and the Vikings ' need for an absolute contingency behind J.J. McCarthy.
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Jones spoke to NFL.com, explaining his desire to start again, which won't happen in San Francisco unless Brock Purdy gets injured.
Jones-to-Vikings Has Real Logic
Jones chatter in the purple rumor mill won't die anytime soon.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones completes pregame throws at Lucas Oil Stadium as preparations unfold in Indianapolis, with December 22, 2025 sitting at the center of a late-season matchup against the Colts. The controlled warmup captures Jones' mechanics and timing under dome conditions while coaches and evaluators observe routine reps before kickoff nearby. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn
Jones on His Plans to Start Again
Reporters asked Jones this week if he'd like to start elsewhere, and he replied , "Honestly, it's a business. You know how this goes. I've proven I can be a starter. I've proven I can be a starter in multiple different spots. I have 50-plus starts or whatever."
"I know how to do it, but it's also a business. I understand both sides of it. If you're a quarterback that's a free agent or could get traded or whatever your situation is, you want to go somewhere that fits and makes sense. At the end of the day, that's what I want in San Francisco. We'll see what happens. It's good to be talked about."
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He also said about the 2025 campaign, "Getting back to having fun and being around a group of guys that I really mesh well with, coaches and players. I felt like it was very laid back, but we put in a lot of work in OTAs."
"Just for them to take me under their wing and for me to learn from all the Hall of Fame players we have, it was awesome. Kyle has been great for me. We're really on the same … I call it 'wi-fi.' We're just a really good match."
That sounds like a man who wouldn't mind a trade and starting gig in 2026.
Just an Insurance Policy in SF
Why does Jones want to eventually wiggle out of San Francisco? Simple — he can't start there. The 49ers pay Brock Purdy the megabucks, and unless Purdy gets hurt again, Jones is merely an insurance policy.
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Elsewhere, with the Vikings, New York Jets , Arizona Cardinals , or Pittsburgh Steelers , Jones could be the top guy.
It's all a matter of San Francisco's willingness to trade him this offseason. General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan said a couple of weeks ago that they have no desire to offload Jones. Some have reasoned that 1st- or 2nd-Round draft pick might change their minds.
The Numbers in 2025
The case for Jones to Minnesota — or anywhere — is really straightforward. He started eight games in 2025, with the 49ers finishing 5-3 on his watch. If one scales his eight-game performance to a full 17 games, the numbers look like this:
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4,570 Passing Yards
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28 Passing TDs
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13 INTs
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69.6% Completion
That's close to 2024 Darnold output, and Minnesota finished 14-3 that year.
There's no reason to believe that Jones would arrive in Minnesota and suddenly struggle.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones delivers a first-quarter throw at Gillette Stadium during an early-season test against Dallas, with October 17, 2021 positioned mid-paragraph as the moment unfolds in Foxborough. The in-game snapshot reflects pocket rhythm and decision-making as the Patriots traded scores with the Cowboys before halftime under steady pressure throughout Sunday. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
SI.com 's Jose Sanchez compiled a list of Jones's trade spots this week and noted on the Vikings , "Last, but not least, is the most obvious team — the Vikings. It was recently reported that they have Jones on their radar, which makes sense."
"They are the most playoff-ready team on this list and can offer the 49ers a great deal. Justin Jefferson is what fans would love to hear, but that won't happen. It's more likely for the 49ers to get a pick and Jordan Addison from the Vikings. Minnesota gets its quarterback, while the 49ers add draft capital and needed speed at receiver with Addison."
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The Next Darnold/Mayfield?
Baker Mayfield turned his career all the way around in Tampa Bay . So did Sam Darnold in 2024 and 2025. Jones could be next.
He also opined on Darnold, who will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday: "I get asked that a lot. Everyone's journey is so different. I feel like I've watched him in interviews, and he does say that learning from Kyle and Brock really changed his career. I see why now."
"I've learned so much this year. I know Sam probably felt the same way (in his one year in San Francisco). You can see it on the tape, there's a lot of crossover."
Carolina Panthers quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield jog onto the field at FedExField during pregame routines, with August 13, 2022 embedded mid-paragraph before a matchup against Washington in Landover. The shared warmup moment captures a transitional quarterback room as roles and responsibilities were evaluated ahead of kickoff by coaches and staff members together. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
If anyone replicates the Mayfield-Darnold path as early as 2026, it will probably be Jones. He already showed his ability to produce at an impressive level in the right system.
Jones will turn 28 in September.
