Mac Jones is 3-0 as a starter for the 49ers and has played well filling in for Brock Purdy. But here's why it's unreasonable to think he should continue to start the rest of the season.
The 49ers don't have a QB controversy, just a luxury with Mac Jones and Brock Purdy originally appeared on The Sporting News
The injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers are 4-1 and in first place in the NFC West after upsetting the Rams (3-2) in Los Angeles to open Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season on Thursday night. A big reason why is backup quarterback Mac Jones, who has gone 3-0 in the games he has started in place of an injured Brock Purdy.
Other than Daniel Jones signing with the Colts, there has been no more important offseason free-agent addition than Mac Jones.
Jones has averaged almost 302 passing yards over his three winning starts. He has completed 66.6 percent of his passes while averaging 7.0 yards per attempt and thrown for 6 TDs with only one INT for a strong passer rating of 99.1.
The question remains if Jones should remain the 49ers starting quarterback? Don't confuse San Francisco's QB situation with being a controversy. It's more about the team having the luxury of a top backup QB to not having to rush Purdy back from his toe injury.
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The initial feeling around Purdy's turf toe was that it wasn't as serious as the one Bengals' QB Joe Burrow suffered. But now that Purdy is considered week-to-week after aggravating the injury in Week 4, the 49ers would smart to stick with Jones until Purdy is 100 percent.
Purdy came through with a late game-winning TD pass against the Seahawks in Week 1 before missing Weeks 2 and 3 against the Cardinals and Saints. Purdy should not have played in Week 4 against the Jaguars, a tough 26-21 home loss in which he had two interceptions and a lost fumble.
The team might not have had a choice, with Jones himself battling a knee injury. They hoped for the best with Purdy gutting it out and it didn't work out well. Now that Jones has proved he can perform at a consistent level when healthy and gets extra time to rest before Week 6's NFC matchup at Tampa Bay, it's a no brainer that we might not see Purdy in action for a while.
Unfortunately for Purdy, the 49ers do not have a bye until Week 14. They need to be careful about not making the same mistake twice, with 10 days before they play the Buccaneers. Until Purdy has had a good week of full practices where his mobility isn't limited, there's no reason to consider putting him back under center.
San Francisco is 4-1 and 3-0 in the division after just five weeks. They have a cushion now from beating the Rams and should feel confident that Jones can play well enough to help them beat the Buccaneers as well. The team's upcoming schedule is favorable from Weeks 7 through 9 before a Rams rematch at home in Week 10. They face the Falcons at home and then visit the Texans and Giants.
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The Week 5 victory, while shorthanded, was huge. The 49ers should get a little healthier at other positions and still have players such as Kendrick Bourne and Jake Tonges, who came through to boost Jones in Los Angeles.
With the defense playing inspired football at key moments without Nick Bosa leading the pass rush, expect the 49ers' momentum to continue through a manageable slate over the next month. Kyle Shanahan has excelled in adjusting the offense, but the bottom line is, running back Christian McCaffrey and left tackle Trent Williams being healthy this season gives them a high offensive floor in every game.
Jones is executing a system in which Shanahan thought he could excel in when the team considered drafting the quarterback in 2021. Like Jimmy Garoppolo before him, Jones can win plenty with the right play-calling and skill support.
But there's one stat that continues to be neglected in just how much of a difference-maker Purdy is. He still averaged eight yards per attempt, or one more than Jones. Purdy is an elite deep ball thrower and will be at his most effective when not bothered by the toe anymore and when he has at least George Kittle back to help him stretch the field. Kittle, out since after Week 1 with his hamstring injury, could return on Week 7 at the earliest against the Falcons.
Jones gives the 49ers some comfort, knowing that they don't have to overcome Purdy getting hurt. The foresight to think Jones would be the ideal No. 2 has already paid off in a big way until Purdy is healthy enough to play again.
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Category: Football
