Who Should I Start? Mac Jones or Sam Howell

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.

Tuesday, June 17, 12:11 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Howell was usually the second QB to rotate into team drills during offseason workouts behind J.J. McCarthy, which suggests that Howell is the front-runner for the No. 2 job. However, nothing he did this spring indicated that he will push McCarthy to start in 2025, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "He's kind of like J.J.," head coach Kevin O'Connell said, "where he's made some throws where you're like, 'Man, probably shouldn't have made that throw. But I now know on this play, I've got to be careful of this.' And it's all growth." Behind Howell is Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. The Vikings acquired Howell in a trade this offseason with Seattle. The former fifth-rounder by the Commanders has completed 62.6% of his passes for 4,139 yards, 22 touchdowns and 23 picks in 20 games (18 starts) in his three NFL seasons.