The NFL’s quarterback carousel never really stops, as evidenced by the sudden retirement of New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr on May 10.
Carr, who announced his retirement due to a significant shoulder injury, leaves behind a QBs room consisting of rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener—all of whom have extremely limited NFL experience.
Jared Dubin of CBS Sports floated an interesting suggestion for the Saints as a potential replacement for Carr: current San Francisco 49ers backup QB Mac Jones.
Given Jones’s starting experience and the Saints’ need for an experienced signal-caller, a trade for Jones might make sense.
“If the Saints are absolutely dead set on having a veteran option beyond Shough, there are other players out there,” Dubin wrote on May 10. “They could bring back Jameis Winston by making a deal with the Giants. (Or they could trade for Russell Wilson instead.) Perhaps the Rams would be willing to part with Jimmy Garoppolo, or the 49ers with Mac Jones.”
Would San Francisco 49ers Be Willing to Trade QB Mac Jones to Saints to Replace Derek Carr?
In March 2025, Jones signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the 49ers, with his role that of backup to starter Brock Purdy. Being a starter as opposed to a backup would likely be Jones’ preference, and in New Orleans, he’d have better shot at being QB1 than he would with nearly every other franchise.
The Saints current QBs room is full of walking question marks. Shough, a recent second-round draft pick, is expected to compete for the starting role, while Rattler and Haener have both had limited starting experience and success in the league. Trading for Jones, who has demonstrated the ability to lead an NFL offense, could offer the Saints a more reliable option as they navigate the post-Carr era.
Financially, Jones’s current contract with the 49ers is relatively modest, making a trade financially feasible for New Orleans. The Saints will surely want to see what they have in Slough, but there’s something to be said for having a solid backup in the NFL, and they don’t know if they even have a quality starter.
Whether they call the 49ers about the possibility of trading for Jones or not, the Saints will need to replace Carr, stat.
49ers Know They Have Value in Jones as Backup
Drafted 15th overall by the New England Patriots in 2021, Jones had a standout rookie season, leading the team to a 10–7 record and a playoff berth. He threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions that year, earning a Pro Bowl nod and a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. His performance declined over the next two seasons, though, with the Patriots finishing 6–8 in 2022 and 2–9 in 2023 under his guidance.
In March 2024, Jones was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served primarily as a backup but started several games due to injuries to Trevor Lawrence. Over his four-year career, Jones has a starting record of 20–29, with 10,590 passing yards, 54 touchdowns, and 44 interceptions.
“Going back to college, we obviously studied Mac coming out and we thought very highly of him and his skillset as a thrower and the things he did in college. And then obviously as a rookie, what he did in the NFL was very impressive,” 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said about Purdy on May 8.
“Mac’s a really good thrower. He stands in the pocket, he’s a strong guy and he’s really smart. And so he’s got a lot of traits that we like for a starting quarterback. … I think Mac’s capable of being a starter in this league. And so he’s going to help us if he needs to.”
It’s clear the Niners value Jones, so trading him away so soon after adding him would be a tad surprising. Still, if the Saints were to show interest, John Lynch would likely listen.
