Who Should I Start? Mac Jones or Bryce Young

Wednesday, March 12, 10:10 PM

Free-agent quarterback Mac Jones agreed to terms with the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday on a two-year deal worth $7 million with $5 million guaranteed, a source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The maximum value of the deal is for $11.5 million. After one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in which he appeared in 10 games (seven starts) due to multiple injuries to starter Trevor Lawrence, Jones will head to the NFC for the first time to back up Brock Purdy in 2025. The 26-year-old looked like a backup in his 10 appearances for the Jags a year ago, completing 65.3% of his 262 pass attempts for 1,672 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. If Jones were forced into significant playing time again in 2025 due to a Purdy injury, he'd at least be set up better with better offensive pieces around him in San Fran.

Saturday, June 28, 11:07 AM

The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has shown an increased comfort level in his second year in head coach Dave Canales' offensive system, especially when he carved up the first-team defense in the red zone during minicamp. Young's intensity also caught the eyes and ears of media members this offseason. Pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney said that Young needed to play with more energy last year, and the former first overall pick has engaged in trash-talk sessions with cornerback Jaycee Horn. The 23-year-old was pretty bad in his first year and a half, but he looked different down the stretch in 2024 after being benched and threw seven TDs and no picks in his final three games. He's going to need to improve his accuracy and decision-making to take the next step in Year 3, but Young at least showed some signs to give fantasy managers hope that he can be a solid QB2 with upside.