Former New England Patriots starting quarterback Mac Jones spent the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars before he signed a two-year contract to join the San Francisco 49ers in March.
For a piece published on Monday, 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner of ESPN detailed what Jones worked on with head coach Kyle Shanahan and others during the club’s offseason program.
“Upon arrival in San Francisco, Jones went through an intensive course focused on fixing his fundamentals,” Wagoner wrote. “For three weeks, Shanahan, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi went through cutups of Jones’ previous film, as well as tape of other signal callers showing Jones things like the footwork needed to succeed in the offense.”
The Patriots grabbed Jones with the 15th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie before he noticeably declined while playing under legendary coach Bill Belichick. Belichick ultimately pulled Jones from games on four occasions during the 2023 season, and the 26-year-old became a full-time spectator beginning in Week 13 of that campaign.
Jones more recently made seven starts with the Jaguars this past season. He went 2-5 over those outings, and Pro Football Reference shows that he finished Week 18 ranked 34th out of 36 qualified players with a 39.8 adjusted QBR. Over 10 total appearances with Jacksonville, he tossed eight touchdown passes and eight interceptions.
“Rough practice days aside, enjoying his new place of employment hasn’t been a problem for Jones to this point,” Wagoner added. ‘He’s made it clear that he likes being coached hard and that he’s craved the challenge that Shanahan and his staff have put before him.”
Even before the 49ers signed starting quarterback Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265M contract extension that included $181M in guarantees and a no-trade clause, it was believed that Shanahan and Co. viewed Jones as a reclamation project rather than as a potential replacement for Purdy. That said, Purdy has gotten banged up each season since the 49ers made him the final choice of the 2022 draft. Thus, Jones could find himself one play away from receiving a chance to revive his career with the Niners later this fall.
