The NFL is filled with irony and Mac Jones signing with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency has to be at the top of that list.
Why?
Given all the rumblings prior to the 2021 NFL Draft, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was enamored by Jones. Looking back to an NFL Draft that was top heavy with quarterback talent, only Trevor Lawrence, selected No. 1 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, has lived up to expectations. Jones, who was selected with the No. 15 overall pick by the New England Patriots, started off great under Bill Belichick, but saw his career take a turn.
What if the 49ers selected Mac Jones in the 2021 NFL Draft?
In looking back, would Jones have best benefitted if Shanahan and the 49ers selected him at No. 3 instead of Trey Lance? That would’ve been a high reach for the 49ers, but a player like Jones may have been better suited playing in Shanahan’s system. Ironically, if Jones was the pick by then, perhaps Brock Purdy wouldn’t have gotten his opportunity to shine.
Now the 2022 seventh-round pick is on the brink of a big contract extension while the quarterback Shanahan was high on back in the 2021 NFL Draft now serves as his backup.
Ironic right? What is also ironic is Mac Jones may be getting his last opportunity in the NFL by suiting up with the 49ers after a stint backing up Lawrence with the Jaguars. Could Jones find NFL redemption like Sam Darnold?
He certainly has the right head coach. In talking about Jones after signing him in free agency, Shanahan is thrilled to have Jones under his realm and recalled what he saw in the former Alabama star prior to the 2021 NFL Draft.
“I loved how he played the position, especially in college,” Shanahan said. “He got the ball to the right spots, didn’t take sacks, would hand in there and get hit and distribute the ball to his playmakers.
“I’ve seen him do it in the NFL at a high level. And we’re excited to get him working in our offense.”
That all described Mac Jones in his rookie season with the Patriots. Under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Jones threw for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns in leading the Patriots to an 10-7 record and a playoff appearance. It looked like the Patriots had their next franchise quarterback at the time, but Jones declined each year after that, partly due to a lack of stability in his offensive coaches.
The question now that he is with the 49ers is…will he find that mojo he had during his rookie season? Learning behind a quarterback like Purdy should help, but the greatest benefit for Jones in a 49ers’ uniform is what he will learn in Shanahan’s system. This could be his last shot in the NFL. Will he make the most of it or become an NFL draft one-hit wonder?
It’s up to Mac Jones to rewrite his own NFL history.