Shanahan confirms 49ers discussed signing ex-Giants QB Jones originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers won’t be signing former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, but he was on their radar.
Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed to reporters Wednesday that San Francisco talked about signing Jones, who reportedly is expected to join the Minnesota Vikings.
“We discussed it,” Shanahan said. “Yep, that’s about it.”
Jones was granted his release by the Giants last week after they decided to bench him in favor of backup Tommy DeVito.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones signed a massive four-year, $160 million contract in March of 2023 but has struggled mightily during his NFL career.
In 69 career starts, Jones has a 24-44-1 record, including a 2-8 record this season.
The 49ers were considered a “situation to watch” regarding Jones by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in the aftermath of starting quarterback Brock Purdy’s right shoulder injury.
But Jones reportedly preferred to join a team in playoff contention, and with the 49ers sitting at 5-6 entering their Week 13 game against the Buffalo Bills, they likely weren’t as appealing to Jones as the 9-2 Vikings were.
With Purdy limited to handoffs in Wednesday’s practice, the 49ers will proceed with Brandon Allen, Josh Dobbs and practice-squad quarterback Tanner Mordecai.
When a notable player with upside becomes available, most teams do their due diligence to see if there’s a fit, and it appears that’s what Shanahan and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch did.
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