Keeping your QB on the squad comes at a cost, and sometimes that cost is letting multiple key players go. Who would know it better than the Niners’, who just parted ways with 12 of their players? Niners’ fans are going crazy over the team’s cleaning drive, which started with WR Deebo Samuel. But was it on anyone’s radar that San Francisco would release nine-time Pro Bowler Kyle Juszczyk? Well, they just did. If rumors are to be believed, the 49ers’ ‘riot-causing’ cleanup drive is in preparation for signing an extension with their starting QB, Brock Purdy. Speaking of QBs, Kyle Shanahan’s team is reportedly signing another quarterback. Is it competition for Purdy or just a backup?

So, the latest from the Bay Area is that the Niners are signing Pro Bowl QB Mac Jones. Shanahan wanted to get Jones back in 2021, but the team instead drafted Trey Lance. And the Alabama alum ended up with the Pats. Now, Coach Kyle is finally getting the QB he wanted four years ago. Mac spent the first three years of his NFL career with the Patriots under the mentorship of legendary coach Bill Belichick. Last year, both Belichick and Jones parted ways with New England, and the team traded the Alabama alum to the Jaguars in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

Mac, in his rookie season, put up the highest stats among other rookie QBs. He racked up 3,801 passing yards and scored 22 TDs. Jones was the second Offensive Rookie of the Year after Ja’Marr Chase. After Tom Brady was gone, Mac looked like an answer for the Pats’ QB needs. But the season after his rookie year, his stats took a dip. The Alabama alum finished his second season with 2,997 passing yards and only 14 TDs to his name. Jones had 11 interceptions that season.

The last two seasons, Mac was mostly serving as a backup QB. During his time with the Jaguars, he was the starting QB in only two games following an injury to Trevor Lawrence. And now, he will be donning a Niners jersey. As per reports, San Francisco will be signing a two-year deal with Mac worth $7 million, with 5 million guaranteed money. 

Now, the interesting question is, what does this mean for Brock Purdy?

New QB Deal, Old Faces Gone: The Brock Purdy Effect

Once the Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy did not take much time to prove his relevance with the Niners. The Iowa State alum took his team to the NFC Championship Game. The very next year, Brock Purdy and Co. were in the Super Bowl game, which they lost to the Chiefs. This season, the 25-year-old fell short due to right shoulder and elbow injuries. And this year is also the final year of Purdy’s rookie contract. The Niners’ QB will be hitting free agency next year. You know how it goes in the league, the teams usually sign extensions with one year remaining on the contract.

San Francisco is already in trouble as they have $77.7M counting against the cap space. This is after they cut, traded, and released 12 players, most of whom were the starters of the team. And the word is, this was to secure Purdy’s payday. The players that had to say goodbye to the team were mostly veterans. The Niners’ decision has the entire NFL town scratching their heads.

“Not sure what the 49ers are doing, but losing your road dog at LB in Greenlaw, CB Charvarius Ward, S Talanoa Hufanga, your RG Banks, OT Moore, trading Deebo Samuel, and cutting your versatile H-Back Juszczyk SOUNDS LIKE A REBUILD. Better get it right, or the fans will RIOT,” said former QB Robert Griffin III in an X post. Cowboys star LB Micah Parsons also chimed in when he replied to a fan on X. The user wrote, “49ers gutting themselves,” to which Micah responded, “No more rookie QB lol welcome to reality!“

Well, if that’s the case, if all the roster cuts were to secure Brock Purdy’s payday, then it looks like Mac Jones is coming in as a backup rather than competition for the starting job.