It's time for the New York Giants to get desperate. Jaxson Dart left Monday Night Football with a knee injury, but initial reports seemed to indicate that he was about to miss only a month or so after the fact. While that's still not ideal to rely on Jameis Winston for that long, it's now even worse with Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport now reporting that further MRIs and tests on Dart revealed that he will miss more time than initially expected — potentially putting him out for the rest of the 2026 season.
That changes things drastically. I initially proposed the Giants trading for Saints backup Spencer Rattler as a depth option to put behind Winston. If Dart is going to miss the entire season, though, that won't cut the mustard. Instead, New York and John Harbaugh need to explore the possibility of kicking the tires on a more blockbuster type of trade for a high-end backup they could start for the rest of the season. And it's hard not to think about calling the San Francisco 49ers about Mac Jones.
Emregency Giants-49ers trade proposal that sends Mac Jones to New York
The 49ers reportedly set a sky-high asking price for Mac Jones in any offseason trade discussions. However, with Jones set to hit free agency this offseason, it's more likely that the trade price is going to be on the decline as we get closer to the deadline — or if a team like the Giants comes calling. Obviously, no one is going to give San Francisco a first- or second-rounder for a backup quarterback that they're looking to elevate.
At the same time, if the Giants are keen on trying to save this season under a brand-new coaching regime and with still a lot of talent and promise throughout this roster, then perhaps they could get aggressive by sending a pair of third-round picks to the 49ers in this deal. That's not an overly prohibitive cost, even it is a meaningful return for San Francisco. But the ultimate outcome is exactly what New York should be hoping for: stability at quarterback with Dart out of action.
Why the Giants would pay up to trade for Mac Jones
When you look around the league at potential backup quarterbacks that the Giants could trade for, the majority of the options have obvious flaws. Rattler, though there is upside, has quarterbacked one loss after the other for the Saints. Shedeuer Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are unrefined. J.J. McCarthy and Anthony Richardson are complete wild cards. The Eagles probably aren't trading Tanner McKee within the division. And if New York is interested in trying to legitimately save the rest of the season with Dart sidelined, then it's quite clear that Mac Jones stands above the rest.
Jones started eight games with the 49ers last season and played in 11. He accrued a 5-3 record as a starter, but more importantly, individually performed quite enticingly. He completed 69.6 percent of his attempts for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and only six interceptions, all while averaging the most air yards per attempt (7.4) of his career.
While no one would mistake him for a franchise player, he's proven to be a solid quarterback who won't put training wheels on the offense and will allow things around him — which with the Giants, would mean allowing Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo and Isaiah Likely to still operate fully — to move smoothly. That's what the Giants need and, if Winston can't provide that and New York is still gung-ho about competing for a playoff berth this season, then Jones would give them the best chance to do so.
Why the 49ers would trade Mac Jones away
While the asking price this offseason indicates that the 49ers certainly don't want to trade away Mac Jones, the fact of the matter is that it might be in the organization's best interest to do so this season. Otherwise, San Francisco is almost surely going to lose him for nothing other than a compensatory pick this offseason. And while Jones is an enticing option, the contract value on him likely would net them a fourth- or fifth-round pick when it's all said and done.
As such, being able to get a pair of third-round picks and potentially only needing to add a 2028 late-rounder in addition to Jones in the deal would make sense. That's especially true if you zoom out to the 30,000-foot view of the situation. The 49ers have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL, especially when it comes to their core, so adding draft capital should be of the utmost importance.
There's also the depth behind Brock Purdy to consider here, which is a worthwhile discussion. Trading Jones would elevate Kurtis Rourke to the backup. While that's disconcerting, the 49ers could bring in a veteran like Nick Mullens as a street free agent or off of another team's practice squad to work with Kyle Shanahan. Maybe this is rooted in hubris, but we've seen Shanahan do more with less at quarterback. And if the right deal for Jones is in there, that's a lever that can always be pulled.
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