The NFL combine begins Feb 23rd. The Bernuda Triangle of Responsibility can do stuff now if they want.<\/p>\n
Yore AI questions for the day \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cdo nfl teams make qb trades in late january and early february\u201d<\/p>\n
Yes, NFL teams frequently agree to quarterback trades in late January and early February, even though these transactions cannot be officially processed until the new league year begins in March.<\/p>\n
Notable Early Offseason QB Trades<\/p>\n
Several of the biggest quarterback trades in recent NFL history were negotiated and reported during this late January to early February window:<\/p>\n
Matthew Stafford to the Rams \/ Jared Goff to the Lions: This blockbuster trade was agreed upon on January 30, 2021. The deal was widely reported and discussed for weeks before it became official on March 17, 2021.Alex Smith to the Redskins (now Commanders): This trade was agreed upon on January 30, 2018. It gave the Kansas City Chiefs a clear path to starting Patrick Mahomes while securing a veteran for Washington nearly two months before the league year opened.Carson Wentz to the Colts: This deal was agreed upon on February 18, 2021, just after the Super Bowl, as the Colts looked to replace the retired Philip Rivers.<\/p>\n
next AI question \u2026
\u201cWhat compensation might the 49ers seek for Mac Jones?\u201d<\/p>\n
Based on current reports and analyst projections as of February 7, 2026, the San Francisco 49ers would likely seek a high-value draft pick, specifically a Day 2 selection (2nd or 3rd round), in exchange for quarterback Mac Jones.<\/p>\n
Analysts and league insiders have provided several potential compensation packages if the 49ers decide to move Jones before the 2026 NFL season:<\/p>\n
Day 2 Pick (Round 2 or 3): Most insiders, including Tom Pelissero and Albert Breer, suggest a 2nd- or 3rd-round pick as the likely baseline.Pick Swap Package: A \u201cDay 2 pick plus a Day 3 pick swap\u201d has been cited as a realistic return, drawing comparisons to the Sam Darnold trade from the Jets to the Panthers.Extreme Offers Only: Head coach Kyle Shanahan has indicated he would be \u201cvery surprised\u201d if Jones is not on the team in 2026, suggesting that any trade offer would need to be significant to convince San Francisco to part with their top backup.<\/p>\n
Factors Driving His Value
2025 Performance: Jones revived his career in San Francisco, posting a 5-3 record as a starter while Brock Purdy was injured. He finished the season with a career-high 69.6% completion rate, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
Contract Status: Jones is under contract for the 2026 season at a highly affordable cap hit of approximately $3.07 million to $3.98 million. This makes him a cheap bridge starter or elite backup for a trade partner.
Market Context: A perceived \u201cweak\u201d incoming 2026 rookie quarterback class is expected to increase the trade market for proven veteran starters like Jones.
\u2026
2025 Season Statistics (San Francisco 49ers)
Category
2025 Stats
Record as Starter
5\u20133
Passing Yards
2,151
Touchdowns \/ Interceptions
13 TD \/ 6 INT
Completion Percentage
69.6%
Passer Rating
97.4<\/p>\n
Despite the trade buzz, several reports on February 7, 2026, indicate that the 49ers\u2019 current preference is to keep their Purdy-Jones tandem intact for the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
Minnesota Vikings News and Links<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next for Vikings\u2019 O\u2019Connell, McCarthy after GM firing?<\/a><\/p>\n The Minnesota Vikings reset their organization after the firing of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last Friday. The Vikings are creating new pathways for communication, establishing workflow and setting the table for an offseason full of important — and, in some cases, far-reaching — decisions.<\/p>\n In three months, they\u2019ll do it again when owners Zygi and Mark Wilf hire Adofo-Mensah\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n This temporary fix is far outside NFL convention and raises the likelihood that the Vikings\u2019 next general manager will inherit a quarterback depth chart and a draft class that they have no connection to. Unless the Wilfs plan to promote Rob Brzezinski, their longtime executive vice president of football operations who is leading the front office through the NFL draft, the Vikings are now destined to head into next season wearing a figurative Band-Aid. Although he most recently has focused on contract negotiations and salary cap management, Brzezinski was the Vikings\u2019 top football executive for three seasons from 2003 to 2005, as former owner Red McCombs worked to sell the franchise. In that role, Brzezinski modernized the front office\u2019s process, administered football decisions and managed much of the staff while working alongside coach Mike Tice and director of college scouting Scott Studwell.<\/p>\n The Wilfs purchased the team in 2005, and from 2006 to 2011, Brzezinski was part of a three-person leadership group that ran the team. Ultimately, the Wilfs promoted personnel chief Rick Spielman to general manager in 2012 — a decision Brzezinski fully supported.<\/p>\n In other words, Brzezinski has too much stature in the organization to be a simple conduit for the impulses of O\u2019Connell, defensive coordinator Brian Flores or any other member of the organization. The better way to think of him over the next few months is as a gatekeeper who decides which ideas are implemented, and how. For O\u2019Connell, though, Adofo-Mensah\u2019s departure is best viewed as equal parts liberating and cautionary. To the extent that Adofo-Mensah\u2019s performance was below standard, O\u2019Connell would benefit from better team-building decisions. But it also removes a mitigating factor in the Vikings\u2019 failure to win a playoff game during O\u2019Connell\u2019s tenure. This transition fairly shifts that responsibility to O\u2019Connell\u2019s shoulders moving forward.<\/p>\n In the short term, Brzezinski will give O\u2019Connell the steady and experienced partner he probably needed as a young coach. One way or another, that is likely to be the profile of the Wilfs\u2019 permanent hire. The rest will be up to O\u2019Connell. In the big picture, McCarthy is a talented player who just turned 23 and has a total of 10 NFL starts. Few NFL teams would give up on a quarterback with that profile, and many team builders are particularly enamored with optimizing a quarterback\u2019s rookie contract. Adofo-Mensah was one of them, but his departure is a reminder of the range of outcomes that approach can lead to.<\/p>\n If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026. The only thing more damaging than making the mistakes the Vikings made last season would be to repeat them this year.<\/p>\n J.J. McCarthy\u2019s future is in serious doubt with Minnesota Vikings, and it\u2019s not a surprise if you\u2019ve been paying attention<\/a><\/p>\n J.J. McCarthy\u2019s future has been in doubt for awhile \u201cI believe that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations. And that\u2019s not there\u2019s no specific example in my mind that I could give you of a team or a quarterback just overall 30,000 foot view,\u201d said O\u2019Connell back in September of 2024.<\/p>\n Over the last few months, the tides have turned when it comes to McCarthy. After spending all last offseason praising McCarthy, the tone changed. O\u2019Connell continued to reference throughout season that McCarthy missed a day of practice ahead of the Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons to attend the birth of his first child. It was obviously a point of contention for O\u2019Connell, and his performance didn\u2019t help anything. You can also argue that McCarthy has failed the Vikings because he\u2019s only played in 10 of a possible 35 games.<\/p>\n The end of season press conference gave us some more evidence of a potential move, talking explicitly about competition.<\/p>\n \u201cI think there has to be [competition],\u201d said O\u2019Connell in his end of the year press conference. \u201cI think that\u2019s what\u2019s going to make everybody better in that room. It\u2019s going to be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition.\u201d<\/p>\n Considering how poorly McCarthy played this season, it\u2019s not a surprise. Among the quarterbacks who had 275 passing snaps this season, McCarthy finished:<\/p>\n 35th in EPA\/play J.J. McCarthy\u2019s teammates arent giving a ringing endorsement Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was on radio row earlier this week, and was asked about McCarthy. His comments across multiple shows haven\u2019t been a ringing endorsement.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not my decision,\u201d Jefferson said about who becomes the starting quarterback. \u201cI don\u2019t care who\u2019s throwing me that ball. That\u2019s not my main priority\u2026 that person that\u2019s throwing that ball needs to throw that ball, and lead us to into that big dance at the end of the season. Right now, J.J. is my QB. For me, it\u2019s to get him to where we need to go, it starts off right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Running back Aaron Jones joined the Night Cap show with Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe, and praised the idea of Aaron Rodgers in Minnesota. It was also a subtle dig at McCarthy.<\/p>\n \u201cI like him in Minnesota, just what he brings to a locker room,\u201d Jones said. \u201cYes, like that leadership, that it\u2019s a standard, like, if you\u2019re if you ain\u2019t in your playbook, oh, you ain\u2019t, you ain\u2019t see in the field, he gonna test you. He gonna throw some signals out there, and he gonna see if you really care about this, right? And as a player, I love that, because I I\u2019m in my books, I\u2019m making an effort. I came, I came from UTEP, from nothing like, right? So I had to earn that. And when you do it the right way, and it\u2019s noticed, it is refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n He also had some strong words about how they should have kept Sam Darnold.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you got a group of guys behind a QB, and he wants to stay, I think you should try to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n The idea that McCarthy is going to be the starting quarterback next year isn\u2019t certain, and those who are in the building aren\u2019t exactly giving him a ringing endorsement. Plus, with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah having been fired last week, it could open the door for the Vikings to move on from McCarthy.<\/p>\n We are in for an interesting next six weeks.<\/p>\n Kirk Cousins Leaves Door Open for Vikings Return<\/a><\/p>\n Kirk Cousins back to the Minnesota Vikings? That why this week, on media row in San Francisco, ProFootballTalk\u2019s Mike Florio (a Vikings fan) asked Cousins if a return to Minnesota might be in the works. Kirk didn\u2019t show his cards, but he certainly didn\u2019t rule out a reunion with the Vikings\u2019 either.<\/p>\n Cousins: \u201cI\u2019m going to win him (Florio) over someday. I gotta play until I win him over. Just keep coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n Florio: \u201cYou have! No, you have. I know it\u2019s a good bit, but you have, man. I want you to go back to Minnesota. You\u2019re not hearing what I\u2019m saying, go back to Minnesota.\u201d<\/p>\n Cousins: \u201cWe\u2019ll see, we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n Tony Dungy Delivers Hard\u2011Hitting Take on Vikings\u2019 J.J. McCarthy<\/a><\/p>\n Amid talk about Minnesota\u2019s signal-caller situation, NBC Sports NFL analyst and former Vikings defensive coordinator Tony Dungy was asked whether the team should pursue a QB to challenge McCarthy this offseason.<\/p>\n \u201c[Vikings head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell] knows quarterbacks, and he\u2019ll get J.J. going,\u201d Dungy told Vikings Entertainment Network\u2019s Tatum Everett in a video posted on Feb. 5. \u201cI don\u2019t know, for the good quarterbacks that I\u2019ve been around, it hasn\u2019t been competition that\u2019s driven them. Peyton Manning didn\u2019t need competition in the room to be good. His competition was everybody else. He wanted to be the best in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure J.J. has that too. Sometimes that mentorship can be there, though, that veteran quarterback that\u2019s good that can help out and help bring J.J. along, as well as the coaching staff. So, they\u2019ll get the right people and the right pieces in place.\u201d<\/p>\n Justin Jefferson Willing to Work With Vikings QB J.J McCarthy \u201cUntil something changes or until I hear the word that somebody else is coming in, it\u2019s my job, and I feel like it\u2019s my need to get J.J. to where we need to go, which is working out with each other, building that relationship, building that connection to get better and to not let this past season happen again, because we feel like there\u2019s different times where we could have won that game or could have had a better stretch than what we had,\u201d Jefferson added.<\/p>\n Pelissero Refutes More Rumors Surrounding Kwesi Adofo-Mensah\u2019s Firing<\/a><\/p>\n After calling some of the reporting on alleged behind-the-scenes dysfunction between Kevin O\u2019Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah \u201ccomplete nonsense\u201d on Tuesday, NFL Network\u2019s Tom Pelissero doubled down on his criticism early Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cI will say this, there is a habit for certain people, if they get beat on a scoop, to immediately lend additional details to the story that may or may not be 100 percent grounded in fact,\u201d Pelissero said on KFAN\u2019s Power Trip Morning Show. \u201cSo, you ended up with a bunch of tweets thrown out there into the universe, that suggested things, that based upon all my knowledge of the situation are not entirely accurate. The idea that this was a toxic environment, there was tension between \u2014 Kwesi and Kevin are friends, personally. They have always been good. There was not a fight. There was not a blow up. It was not, quite frankly, like it was at the end of the Mike Zimmer-Rick Spielman era, two guys that I like a lot but they weren\u2019t talking. It was never like that.\u201d \u201cThey had disagreements,\u201d continued Pelissero on O\u2019Connell and Adofo-Mensah. \u201cThey didn\u2019t see eye-to-eye on certain aspects of roster building. In the end, you have a quarterback situation that needs to be sorted out. You have a salary cap situation that needs to be sorted out. As the Wilfs heard all the information, and they always do this every year, they have people come to New Jersey and they have a series of meetings. They asked a lot of pointed questions. They got some honest answers and they came to the conclusion that this was just not the right partnership moving forward. Not just between Kevin and Kwesi, but the entire organization. And I don\u2019t think you need to come up with some wild story about why it didn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo pin it on \u2018He took paternity leave three years ago,\u2019 even if you\u2019re bringing it up to say, \u2018But that wasn\u2019t it,\u2019 you\u2019re introducing a topic that had not been a topic,\u201d said Pelissero. \u201cSure, is there a level of frustration that comes when you feel like you\u2019re having to do more because your co-worker is out? \u2026 You don\u2019t fire a guy three years after he took paternity leave. Like, what are we even talking about? It\u2019s just wild. Like, we all knew that. Yeah he wasn\u2019t around in the summer of 2023. He missed chunks of the spring and missed part of training camp. But I never got any sense that it was some long-standing thing. It was well known that that happened and that there was some frustration from the people in the building about it but it never changed the relationship. So, this idea that it was this toxic environment is, frankly, complete and utter nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n Going forward, Rob Brzezinski will handle leading the front office on an interim basis through the draft. In their announcement last Friday, the Wilfs stated they would undergo a search for a new long-term general manager following the draft. On whether he could see Brzezinski getting the gig full-time after the draft, Pelissero noted, \u201cIt\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that the Wilfs are giving him, essentially, a three-month trial run at this would suggest to you that that is a possibility,\u201d continued Pelissero. \u201cNow, the fact that Rob gets this opportunity and not the assistant GMs, Ryan Grigson or Demitrius Washington, probably plays into the fact that Rob\u2019s been there forever. He\u2019s a trusted advisor. He\u2019s been there longer than the Wilfs. He was there with Red McCombs. He\u2019s been in the organization a long time. He\u2019s an administrator. His background is in the salary cap. I know there are naturally going to be questions about, \u2018How are they handling free agency, the draft? He\u2019s not a scout.\u2019 The scouting part of it is like a part of what the GM does. But really, the most successful GMs in the league, they bring people together, build consensus, they listen to people who are experts in the areas in which they are going to make decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n Even if Brzezinski doesn\u2019t eventually land the job, Pelissero noted that the Vikings opening is a \u201creally good job\u201d that plenty of GM candidates across the league will be tripping over themselves to land.<\/p>\n 49ers QB Mac Jones \u2018definitely motivated\u2019 by trade buzz, wants to start in 2026: \u2018I have my swag back\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Jones is heading into the second season of his two-year deal with the 49ers, a contract that gives the franchise some leverage in discussions with others. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said last month that he expects Jones back with the team.<\/p>\n Jones is content with whatever the 49ers decide.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re a quarterback that\u2019s a free agent or could get traded or whatever your situation is, you want to go somewhere that fits and makes sense,\u201d Jones told NFL Network this week. \u201cAt the end of the day, that\u2019s what I want in San Francisco. We\u2019ll see what happens. It\u2019s good to be talked about.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely motivating for me. I feel I can do that. I have my swag back, and I feel like that\u2019s important for me. I can go out there and win games for whoever.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones kept the 49ers afloat this season in the NFC West before Brock Purdy\u2019s return from injury in mid-November. Jones went 5-3 over eight starts with 2,151 yards passing, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.<\/p>\n He would enter the 2026 season as the second-team option behind Purdy.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, it\u2019s a business. You know how this goes,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI\u2019ve proven I can be a starter. I\u2019ve proven I can be a starter in multiple different spots. I have 50-plus starts or whatever. I know how to do it, but it\u2019s also a business. I understand both sides of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones\u2019 situation is often compared to Sam Darnold, who signed with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason when the Minnesota Vikings moved to former first-rounder J.J. McCarthy.<\/p>\n Darnold made the most of his opportunity to start for a franchise that believed in his value despite consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. As one of the NFL\u2019s top quarterbacks this season, Darnold is one win away from his first championship in Sunday\u2019s Super Bowl.<\/p>\n \u201cI get asked that a lot (about Darnold). Everyone\u2019s journey is so different,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI feel like I\u2019ve watched him in interviews, and he does say that learning from Kyle and Brock really changed his career. I see why now. I\u2019ve learned so much this year.<\/p>\n \u201cI know Sam probably felt the same way (in his one year in San Francisco). You can see it on the tape, there\u2019s a lot of crossover.\u201d<\/p>\n Vikings rumor could lead to offseason trade with Steelers, Dolphins or Jets<\/a><\/p>\n The Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets all have a quarterback problem.<\/p>\n For the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers could very well retire or opt to go someplace else. The Jets\u2019 Justin Fields experiment failed miserably and he\u2019ll likely get cut, and the Dolphins appear to be done with Tua Tagovailoa after he was benched in 2025.<\/p>\n With no set starters in place for 2026, all three teams will be exploring the free-agent and trade markets, as well as the NFL draft for their next signal-callers.<\/p>\n Speaking of the trade market, all three teams should have their eyes on the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback J.J. McCarthy.<\/p>\n The Blockbuster Trade the Vikings Should Make That Isn\u2019t For A Quarterback<\/a><\/p>\n And while the blockbuster trades involving quarterbacks Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson might capture the fans\u2019 hearts and imaginations, the Vikings may be better suited to pursue a more measured \u2014 and realistic \u2014 opportunity.<\/p>\n His name has been brought up with the Vikings in the past, but a major change in New York might open the door even further for a possible Dexter Lawrence trade. The nose tackle is coming off a disappointing season in which he tallied a career-low one-half sack, and the recent hire of new head coach John Harbaugh may spell the end for Sexy Dexy in the Big Apple. Projecting ideal landing spots for NFL trade candidates in the 2026 offseason<\/a> NFL trade rumors: 3 TJ Hockenson landing spots if Vikings have fire sale<\/a>
\u2026
Who is really in charge?
Amid league-wide assumptions that coach Kevin O\u2019Connell is now the most prominent voice in the building, it\u2019s important to understand the expanse of Brzezinski\u2019s experience and career.<\/p>\n
\u2026
What does all of this mean for O\u2019Connell?
It would be wrong to put O\u2019Connell on the so-called \u201chot seat.\u201d The Vikings are tied for the NFL\u2019s fifth-best regular-season winning percentage (.632) since his arrival in 2022, and he is under contract for another four seasons.<\/p>\n
\u2026
Does this change the Vikings\u2019 plans for QB J.J. McCarthy?
The best way to put this, based on what sources have said, is that all bets are off. The general manager who drafted McCarthy No. 10 in 2024 has been fired, and the coach who was in full agreement with that decision is now under considerably more scrutiny.<\/p>\n
One thing that will continue being pointed out over this offseason are the quotes from O\u2019Connell about organizations failing young quarterbacks.<\/p>\n
34th in success rate
36th in completion percentage
33rd in expected completion percentage
36th in completion percentage over expected<\/p>\n
One of the benefits of Super Bowl week is players talking to the media about a variety of topics. For Vikings players in San Francisco, McCarthy was a major topic of discussion. They weren\u2019t shy about talking about him either.<\/p>\n
But now fully healthy, a 37-year-old Kirk Cousins is one of the few competent QBs shopping for a new employer. And conveniently, it comes at the exact same time his old team suddenly desperate for quarterback help.<\/p>\n
During a Feb. 5 appearance on Mad Dog Sports Radio, Justin Jefferson answered whether he would want to play with former Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. Nonetheless, he made it clear his job right now is to ensure McCarthy is ready for next season.<\/p>\n
\u2026
In an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday, Pelissero attempted to correct the record and push back against some of the narratives that had caught hold. On Thursday, he repeated a lot of what he had said previously.<\/p>\n
\u2026
A year or two ago, Lawrence likely would have fetched a first-round pick. Now at 28 years old and coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro, the price could be something like a second-round pick and a fifth. Luckily for Minnesota, they still somewhat miraculously possess their own second-round pick and have a fifth-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles after dealing Vikings legend Sam Howell.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n