49ers’ finally land quarterback Mac Jones, as Brock Purdy’s backup

SANTA CLARA – Mac Jones, four years after the 49ers bypassed him with the No. 3 overall draft pick, is finally heading to coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, a league source confirmed Wednesday night.

Jones is coming in as the No. 2 quarterback, that is, behind incumbent starter Brock Purdy, who is still awaiting what’s expected to be a team-record contract extension within the next two months.

After three years with the New England Patriots and last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones agreed to join the 49ers on a two-year, $7 million deal with $5 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $11.5 million, according to the NFL Network.

Jones was considered a favorite for the 49ers’ No. 3 overall pick in 2021 before they veered instead for Trey Lance, who spent two years with the team before they traded him before the 2023 season to the Dallas Cowboys; Lance is now a free agent.

Regardless of Purdy’s pending financials, the 49ers needed to restock their depth chart behind him. Last year’s backups, Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs, became free agents earlier Wednesday, and Dobbs had agreed Monday to a two-year deal with the Patriots, who moved on from Jones and drafted Drake Maye a year ago with the No. 3 overall pick.

Jones made it to the Pro Bowl his rookie season with New England, going 10-7 and posting what have been the best statistics of his career (67.6 completion percentage, 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns). That 2021 season ended with a wild-card playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, and 17 more losses followed against just eight wins in Jones’ starts the next two seasons.

Jones, a Jacksonville native and University of Alabama product, went 2-5 as the Jaguars’ starter while finishing the season in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars recently reached a deal with former 49er Nick Mullens to serve as a backup this season.

Purdy is entering the final year of his rookie contract, at a salary of $5.35 million. However, he and the 49ers’ brass have expressed a mutual desire to hatch a long-term contract, and general manager John Lynch confirmed two weeks ago that negotiations are underway.

The only other quarterback on the 49ers’ roster is Tanner Mordecai, who spent most of last season on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie.

On the day the 49ers drafted Lance, Shanahan disputed months-long rumors that Jones was his preferred choice for the No. 3 pick, which cost them three first-round picks and a third-rounder to acquire from the Miami Dolphins.

“I was in Mexico the day we made the trade and within hours, there’s at least two people who are out there speculating that their opinions are they think we’re taking Mac Jones,” Shanahan said on April 29, 2021. “I’ve kind of just watched every single person assume that that was accurate and that those weren’t opinions, those were facts. We didn’t feel that way from the beginning.”

Jones, by virtue of his position and even his Pro Bowl accolade, is the 49ers’ highest profile addition in what’s been a grueling opening days of free agency. The 49ers, 13 months removed from the Super Bowl, have seen 11 players leave and join other teams, including Wednesday’s official trade of wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders.

The 49ers have yet to announce Jones’ signing, nor have they confirmed the reported acquisitions of wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (Rams), tight end Luke Farrell (Jaguars), linebacker Luke Gifford (Titans), cornerback Tre Brown (Seahawks) and safeties Jason Pinnock (Giants) and Richie Grant (Falcons)

Prior to the 2021 draft, in which Lawrence went No. 1 to Jacksonville and Zach Wilson No. 2 to the New York Jets, Shanahan spoke confidently at the 49ers’ yet-to-be named selection.

“I’m happy we’re going to get one that we like, that we’ve done it right and I hope the fans are happy with it,” Shanahan said of his quarterback pursuit prior to the draft. “But the key is, ultimately, they’re going to be happy based off how we do in the future, not how they feel that night, whether they won the arguments with their friends or things like that.”

On the eve of that 2021 draft, the 49ers hit up the Green Bay Packers to see if they could pry loose Aaron Rodgers. Jones’ ability to handle pressure in the pocket and diagnose defenses helped Alabama to the national championship. He completed an NCAA-record 77.4-percent of his passes for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdown passes and four interceptions.

Wade Phillips, who faced Shanahan’s 49ers as the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator from 2017-19, saw Jones in 2021 as a healthier clone to Garoppolo. “Mac Jones is really Garoppolo, you know. He’s not a runner, so I’m sure they’d feel comfortable with that. It’d be similar to what they’ve been doing,” Phillips told the Bay Area News Group in April 2021. “A 77-percent completion (rate), it’s hard to pass on that. Everybody wants a Tom Brady, obviously. If they can’t really run, you want a Tom Brady. But Garoppolo did some good things for them; they won a lot of games with him.

“If they can get that type guy that’s consistent, doesn’t throw interceptions, run the ball well and play good defense, they can win games,” Phillips added. “They’ve proven that.”

Michael McCorkle Jones grew up in Jacksonville before spending four seasons at Alabama. The 6-foot-2 1/2, 217-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.82 seconds prior to the draft. He initially sat behind future NFL starters Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Jones was arrested his freshman year in 2017 for suspicion of driving under the influence, as well as having an “improper ID by a minor,” after being involved in a non-injury car accident.

Shanahan and 49ers GM John Lynch attended Jones’ pro day on March 30, 2021, to which Jones told NFL Network: “I’m really happy that they came. The trade is the trade. Hopefully, I impressed them. I would love to get a chance to play anywhere in the NFL, but obviously with a great franchise like that.”

Others to leave: Dobbs, linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Broncos), cornerback Charvarius Ward (Colts), left guard Aaron Banks (Packers), safety Talanoa Hufanga (Broncos), defensive end Leonard Floyd (Falcons), offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (Chiefs), running back Elijah Mitchell (Chiefs), and, on Wednesday, defensive tackles Javon Hargrave (Vikings) and Maliek Collins (Browns). Fullback Kyle Juszczyk was informed Monday of his release after eight seasons and having served last year as the 49ers’ longest-tenured player.