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Nick Wagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After an early June organized workforce exercise, new San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones walked to a podium within the bowels of Levi’s Stadium and answered questions for about 11 minutes.
As Jones patiently responded to queries about all the pieces from how he was practically picked by the Niners within the 2021 NFL draft to why he believes coach Kyle Shanahan can get his profession again on observe, one thing was clearly nagging him.
On the observe area moments earlier, Jones had struggled, throwing an interception on to cornerback Derrick Canteen and lacking a handful of open receivers, together with an overthrow to rookie wideout Jordan Watkins on a deep ball.
All through his media session, Jones alluded to his misfires on a number of events, opening a window into the very first thing that he and the 49ers should repair as he steps into the No. 2 quarterback function behind Brock Purdy: rebuilding his means to belief what he sees and lower it unfastened.
“My purpose is to actually simply have nice makes an attempt like, you already know, is the ball purported to go there?” Jones stated. “And whether it is, then let it fly and be dedicated to it. Typically if you watch my movie, it wasn’t a full dedication throw and I need to get higher at that. … That is the entire level of soccer is to strive these throws, be taught from them, after which if you get to the sport you’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, I can do that,’ or ‘I’ll test this one down, you already know, I am making an attempt to guard the ball.’ So, I’ve discovered the laborious method in a method.”
Certainly, Jones has taken a much more circuitous path to the purple and gold of the 49ers than many observers would have anticipated when he entered the NFL out of Alabama in 2021. On the time, the Niners despatched a trio of first-round picks and extra to the Miami Dolphins to maneuver from No. 12 to No. 3 to pick their franchise quarterback.
Though Jones was extensively thought to be the probably selection for many of the run-up to that draft, the Niners finally chosen North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Jones tumbled to the New England Patriots with the fifteenth choose.
Because it turned out, neither Lance nor Jones can be the long-term reply for the Niners or Patriots, respectively, and each groups shortly moved on to different choices. Jones was shipped to Jacksonville after a promising rookie season (56.9 QBR) gave approach to a pair of disappointing years through which he posted QBRs of 38.4 in 2022 and 37.5 in 2023.
That one-year cease with the Jaguars supplied Jones seven beginning alternatives, with Trevor Lawrence injured, however he did not present many indicators of enchancment, posting a 39.8 QBR.
Jones set off into free company for the primary time in March and went trying to find an opportunity to play for a coach who has a observe document of compressing essentially the most from his quarterbacks.
Shanahan was the apparent selection in what felt for either side like a pairing that was at all times going to occur sooner or later. On the outset of free company, Jones and Shanahan texted, with Jones even joking that the pair “bought in an enormous battle” over the Niners’ authentic draft determination.
“The world works in mysterious methods,” Jones stated, laughing. “I am glad to be again right here and studying from an awesome group of men, and that is gamers and coaches. So, you go the place you go within the draft, proper? You do not get lots of selection over that, however I am positively excited to be right here now.”
Upon arrival in San Francisco, Jones went by means of an intensive course targeted on fixing his fundamentals. For 3 weeks, Shanahan, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi went by means of cutups of Jones’ earlier movie, in addition to tape of different sign callers displaying Jones issues just like the footwork wanted to reach the offense.
“To look at him undergo these three weeks engaged on some method issues and simply how we see soccer, I am hoping it helps him and he enjoys it,” Shanahan stated.
Tough observe days apart, having fun with his new place of employment hasn’t been an issue for Jones up to now. He is made it clear that he likes being coached laborious and that he is craved the problem that Shanahan and his workers have put earlier than him.
Jones’ probability to be taught the fundamentals of Shanahan’s offense extends past the teaching workers.
In one other fateful twist, when he was a younger participant at Alabama, Jones as soon as performed host for a recruiting go to by a younger quarterback named Purdy. The pair spent that night time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, hanging out and enjoying video video games, and although Purdy finally opted for Iowa State, Jones has loved watching Purdy develop into the quarterback who just lately signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension with the 49ers.
For Jones, Purdy presents a day by day reminder of how creating in the fitting place with the fitting teaching workers will pay huge dividends.
Earlier than signing with the Niners, Jones additionally famous the ascent of Sam Darnold, one other former excessive draft choose who struggled elsewhere, went to San Francisco and has since loved success with the Minnesota Vikings and signed a large free agent cope with the Seattle Seahawks.
Regardless of Jones’ struggles elsewhere, the 49ers nonetheless see related potential in him.
“He is bought lots of traits that we like for a beginning quarterback,” Kubiak stated. “His profession has sort of gone up and down just a little bit the previous couple years, however we noticed the identical issues in Jacksonville that we beloved about him as a school prospect, and that actually excites us… I feel Mac’s able to being a starter on this league.”
For that to occur, Jones goes to must rebuild from the bottom up, beginning together with his confidence. Jones says it is necessary for him to acknowledge what he may have accomplished higher in earlier stops, and he intends to make use of these “scars” as motivation to enhance.
In San Francisco, he is the clear backup behind the unquestioned starter in Purdy. Whether or not he performs or not stays to be seen, although Purdy did miss a pair of video games as a result of harm in 2024.
And if Jones must step in, Shanahan would not need him to lament the interceptions thrown in observe or OTAs however bear in mind these errors so he would not make them once more when it actually counts.
“[If] you undergo all these practices and also you by no means throw a choose, you are most likely not getting higher,” Shanahan stated. “It is laborious if you get in that stadium and issues like that. Not solely are you getting hit for the primary time, however now all that stuff counts and if you happen to do not let it rip and undergo all that in observe, you are not going to get any higher within the video games after which it is often a matter of time earlier than somebody passes you up.”
