49ers Could Make Surprise QB Trade Before September

The San Francisco 49ers had a 12-5 record for the 2025 season, and while that would be enough to top some divisions in the NFL, in the highly competitive NFC West, it certainly wasn’t enough. Teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams are getting more and more difficult to beat, and the 49ers are tasked with the job of trying to keep up.

Now, ahead of the 2026 season, the 49ers are being urged to make a surprise quarterback trade. Moe Moton of Bleacher Report has released a feature where he names one blockbuster trade each franchise should make before the 2026 season starts. “We could get more transactional fireworks this summer, or at least see moves that we expected teams to make, like the Brown deal, before final roster cuts on August 30,” he states.

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Moton is urging the team to trade quarterback Mac Jones before the new season starts. Even though he notes that the team’s “no-brainer trade candidate is Brandon Aiyuk after general manager John Lynch’s public statement that the wide receiver has played his last snap with the team,” a less assuming one would be Jones.

“In a backup role, Jones is coming off his best season since his 2021 Pro Bowl rookie campaign with the New England Patriots,” he states of the idea. “He filled in for Brock Purdy, who missed several games due to injury, and led the 49ers to five wins in eight starts, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 69.6 percent completion rate. Purdy has been banged up in the regular season and in the playoffs.”

He adds: “So, the 49ers shouldn’t be aggressive in an attempt to trade Jones. However, Jones’ trade value isn’t going to peak beyond what it is right now unless he sees the field for a significant number of snaps this year.”

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So, Jones’ trade value is the highest now, and he’ll be a free agent in 2027. Why not trade him now and get something for it? It’s a move the 49ers could make.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 12:04 PM.