The 49ers are expected to be active at the trade deadline, and Jack Jones looks like one of the more surprising names who could be moved. He could be dealt on his own, or San Francisco could use him as part of a package to land a more valuable player.
Jones signed a one-year, $1.2M deal with the 49ers this offseason, which makes him an easy contract to move. But the bigger issue is that he hasn’t started or played well in San Francisco. That said, he does bring a track record of starting experience, with 16 starts for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and 17 starts for the Miami Dolphins in 2025.
If another team wants a low-cost starter, the price to get Jones from the 49ers probably won’t be steep. The fit hasn’t worked, and San Francisco may simply decide to cut bait.
The 49ers have tried to use Jones in dime packages, bringing him on when they need an extra defensive back. In those looks, Deommodore Lenoir moves into the slot alongside Upton Stout, while Jones and Renardo Green handle the outside.
His usage has already started to shrink. Jones played only eight snaps in Week 1, then saw that jump to 10 the next week, when he gave up 88 yards.
The following game, he was on the field for 28 snaps and allowed 53 yards. After surrendering 18 yards on 15 snaps in Week 4, San Francisco began reducing his role.
That continued against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5, when Jones played just three snaps. He logged seven snaps against the Washington Commanders in Week 7, but that came only after the team tried Ashtyn Davis.
San Francisco first pulled Upton Stout and moved Davis into the slot, with Lenoir staying outside. Davis struggled, and Jones then came on for seven snaps on the final drive when the 49ers needed more defensive backs. Outside of that moment, the team seems to be trying to phase him out.
There are other options on the roster as well. Fourth-round rookie Ephesians Prysock has not played this season, but he could get a chance on the outside if the 49ers want to shift Lenoir inside. Nate Hobbs is also on the IR and still has a chance to return this season.
The bigger picture may point elsewhere, though. San Francisco could need more help in the front seven than at corner, and moving Jones to help fill another need makes sense. Either way, his role looks limited from here.
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