Four years after the 49ers considered making him the third overall pick in the draft, quarterback Mac Jones has finally joined the 49ers.
Via multiple reports, the former Patriots and Jaguars quarterback has agreed to terms with the 49ers. It’s a two-year, $7 million deal, with $5 million guaranteed. Jones can earn up to $11.5 million.
When the 49ers traded up in the 2021 draft, some believed that they’d take Jones in that spot. Instead, the 49ers selected Trey Lance. Jones fell to No. 15.
He made the Pro Bowl with the Patriots as a rookie. His career was derailed when former Patriots coach Bill Belichick made one of the stupidest decisions in recent years, putting a career defensive coach in charge of the offense. It led to a schism between Belichick and Jones, who unlike most Patriots players was willing to push back against Belichick.
Jones was traded to the Jaguars in 2024. He became a free agent on Wednesday.
His arrival comes as the 49ers hope to extend Brock Purdy, the last player taken in the 2023 draft. With Jones under contract through 2026 and Purdy signed for only one more year, Jones gives the 49ers leverage in the event they choose to play hardball with Purdy.
Does he deserve an extension? Absolutely. The challenge becomes pegging the value of it. And there could be a gap that might prompt the 49ers to let it ride for $5.2 million in 2025, knowing that the franchise tag will be available for 2026. And that Jones will still be under contract.
Is it the player? Is it the system? Is it some of both? Those are the most critical questions as Purdy and the 49ers try to figure out what his long-term contract should look like.
The following are PFT’s top 100 free agents for the start of the 2025 league year. The rankings include prospective unrestricted free agents and released players. The list will be updated as events warrant, with signings, tags and re-signings denoted when announced and/or reported. Players released after initial publication may be added and all 100 players initially on the list will still be listed after any additions.
1. Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. (Franchise tagged by the Bengals on March 3.)
2. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 10.)
3. Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith. (Franchise tagged by the Chiefs on Feb. 27.)
4. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat. (Agreed to four-year deal with the Cardinals on March 10.)
5. Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bucs on March 10.)
6. Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Ravens on March 8.)
7. Jets cornerback D.J. Reed. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Lions on March 10.)
8. Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Giants on March 11.)
9. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Chiefs on March 9.)
10. Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. (Agreed to four-year deal with the Cowboys on March 4.)
11. Chiefs safety Justin Reid. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Saints on March 11.)
12. Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Chargers on March 10.)
13. 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Colts on March 10.)
14. 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Broncos on March 10.)
15. 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Broncos on March 10.)
16. Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson. (Agreed to three-year extension with the Rams on February 28.)
17. Vikings offensive tackle Cam Robinson.
18. Falcons center Drew Dalman. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bears on March 10.)
19. Lions cornerback Carlton Davis. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Patriots on March 10.)
20. Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Eagles on March 5.)
21. Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Jets on March 9.)
22. Jets edge Haason Reddick. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Buccaneers on March 10.)
23. Eagles offensive guard Mekhi Becton. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Chargers on March 14.)
24. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
25. Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Vikings on March 10.)
26. Colts offensive guard Will Fries. (Agreed to five-year deal with the Vikings on March 11.)
27. Packers center Josh Myers. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets on March 12.)
28. Vikings safety Cam Bynum. (Agreed to terms on a four-year deal with the Colts on March 10.)
29. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Commanders on March 6.)
30. Eagles defensive lineman Milton Williams. (Agreed to sign with the Patriots on March 10.)
31. Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike. (Agreed to new deal with the Lions on March 12.)
32. Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel.
33. Vikings running back Aaron Jones. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Vikings on March 9.)
34. Jets wide receiver Davante Adams. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Rams on March 9.)
35. Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig. (Agreed to terms with the Panthers on March 10.)
36. Saints tight end Juwan Johnson. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Saints on March 11.)
37. Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper.
38. Steelers running back Najee Harris. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Chargers on March 10.)
39. Lions offensive guard Kevin Zeitler. (Agreed to one-year deal with Titans on March 12.)
40. Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Chiefs on March 8.)
41. Cardinals linebacker Baron Browning. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Cardinals on March 9.)
42. Eagles cornerback Darius Slay. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Steelers on March 12.)
43. Steelers offensive guard James Daniels. (Agreed to three-year deal with Dolphins on March 10.)
44. Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson. (Agreed to three-year deal with Panthers on March 10.)
45. Saints edge rusher Chase Young. (Agreed to three-year deal with Saints on March 10.)
46. Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
47. Colts edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bears on March 10.)
48. Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton.
49. Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
50. Chiefs defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Panthers on March 10.)
51. Falcons safety Justin Simmons.
52. Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Giants on March 10.)
53. Buccaneers offensive guard Ben Bredeson. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Buccaneers on March 10.)
54. Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Chiefs on March 11.)
55. Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 9.)
56. Vikings edge rusher Patrick Jones. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Panthers on March 10.)
57. Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Bucs on March 7.)
58. Commanders edge rusher Dante Fowler. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Cowboys on March 14.)
59. Vikings safety Harrison Smith. (Agreed to one-year deal to return to Minnesota on March 12.)
60. Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas.
61. Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Bills on March 11.)
62. Steelers quarterback Justin Fields. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Jets on March 10.)
63. Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Raiders on March 10.)
64. Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Bengals on March 10.)
65. Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Raiders on March 10.)
66. Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane. (Agreed to sign with the Patriots on March 10.)
67. Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 14.)
68. Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins.
69. Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins.
70. Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Jaguars on March 10.)
71. Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Falcons on March 11.)
72. Ravens offensive guard Patrick Mekari. (Agreed to sign with the Jaguars on March 10.)
73. Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen.
74. Cowboys defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 12.)
75. Commanders tight end Zach Ertz. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders on March 8.)
76. Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bengals on March 10.)
77. Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 9.)
78. Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. (Agreed to one-year deal with Ravens on March 11.)
79. Colts center Ryan Kelly. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Vikings on March 10.)
80. Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis. (Agreed to sign with the Jaguars on March 1.)
81. Colts safety Julian Blackmon.
82. Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bengals on March 8.)
83. Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo. (Agreed to sign with the Giants on March 10.)
84. Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
85. Falcons edge rusher Matthew Judon.
86. Colts linebacker E.J. Speed.
87. Jaguars offensive guard Brandon Scherff.
88. Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore. (Agreed to four-year deal with the Titans on March 10.)
89. Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Rams on March 10.)
90. Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson.
91. Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Panthers on March 12.)
92. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.
93. Cardinals outside linebacker Kyzir White.
94. Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Chargers on March 10.)
95. Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs. (Agreed to a four-year deal with the Packers on March 10.)
96. Jets offensive tackle Morgan Moses. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Patriots on March 10.)
97. Broncos inside linebacker Cody Barton. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Titans on March 10.)
98. 49ers defensive lineman Javon Hargrave. (Agreed to terms with Vikings on March 11.)
99. Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills.
100. Rams defensive tackle Bobby Brown. (Agreed to terms with the Panthers on March 10.)
101. Jaguars safety Andre Cisco. (Agreed to a one-year deal with Jets on March 10.)
102. Cowboys edge rusher Chauncey Golston. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Giants on March 10.)
103. Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Colts on March 11.)
104. Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Steelers on March 11.)
Included last week in a purge of veterans from the Jacksonville roster, veteran tight end Evan Engram is looking for a new team.
His search continued on Tuesday, with (per NFL Media) a visit to the Chargers.
Engram visited the Broncos on Monday.
A first-round pick in 2017 from Mississippi, Engram has spent five years with the Giants and three with the Jaguars. He made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2023.
His best season came in 2023, with 114 catches for 963 yards. Injuries limited him to nine games in 2024. He caught 47 passes for 365 yards in his final season in Jacksonville.
Will Dissly is the top tight end on the L.A. roster. He caught 50 passes for 481 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, his first year with the Chargers.
In less than 24 hours, the Vikings have lost Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Nick Mullens to free agency. They now need a veteran quarterback.
Their options will become more clear after the last few QB1 dominoes fall. Both the Steelers and Giants are believed to be looking for a veteran starter. The Browns possibly are, too, despite trading for Kenny Pickett. The Titans could be, as well.
The only clear-cut candidate from the remaining crop of free agents is Aaron Rodgers. Available for backup duty are, among others, Jameis Winston, Mac Jones, Joe Flacco, Carson Wentz, Drew Lock, Mason Rudolph, Jacoby Brissett, Taylor Heinicke, Marcus Mariota, Cooper Rush.
Russell Wilson becomes the wild-card of the bunch. If he doesn’t get a starting job, will he accept a backup role? Few players who were ever the highest-paid quarterback in the league welcome the holding of a clipboard. (Flacco is the rare exception.) Will Wilson want to be on a team if he knows he won’t be playing?
Regardless, the Vikings need to do something. Minnesota currently has only two quarterbacks on the roster — 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy and Brett Rypien.
Free agent safety Andre Cisco has agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract with the Jets, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Cisco is 100th on PFT’s list of top-100 free agents.
The Jaguars made him a third-round pick in 2021, and he spent his first four seasons in Jacksonville. He has appeared in 63 games with 47 starts.
Cisco has totaled 229 tackles, 1.5 sacks, eight interceptions, 24 pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
In 2024, he started 14 of the 16 games he played and recorded 68 tackles, an interception and seven pass breakups.
The Jaguars are adding a key piece for their offensive line who has familiarity with new head coach Liam Coen.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Jacksonville has agreed to sign center Robert Hainsey to a three-year deal.
Rapoport notes the contract is worth $21 million with $13 million guaranteed.
Hainsey, 26, was a third-round pick in 2021. He started at center in 2022 and 2023 but moved back to a reserve role in 2024 after the club drafted Graham Barton at No. 26 overall.
In four seasons, Hainsey has 60 appearances with 35 starts. He’ll now be a key piece in implementing Coen’s offensive system, as he played under it when Coen served as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator in 2024.
The Jaguars have also agreed to terms with Patrick Mekari on Monday to improve the club’s offensive line.
The Jaguars continue to be one of the league’s busier teams in the first hours of the free agency negotiating window.
According to multiple reports, they have agreed to a deal with free agent offensive lineman Chuma Edoga. Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reports that it is a two-year deal.
Edoga joins cornerback Jourdan Lewis in making the jump from the Cowboys to the Jaguars. The Jags have also agreed to terms with offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, tight end Hunter Long, wide receiver Dyami Brown, tight end Johnny Mundt, defensive back Eric Murray, and quarterback Nick Mullens.
Edoga played 22 games and made 10 starts for the Cowboys the last two seasons. He also made 13 starts as a member of the Jets and Falcons earlier in his career.
The Jaguars are adding a veteran offensive lineman.
According to ESPN, Jacksonville has agreed on a three-year deal with guard Patrick Mekari.
Mekari, 27, started all 17 games for Baltimore in 2024, playing 90 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.
Having joined the club as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Mekari has appeared in 88 career games with 53 starts over the last six seasons.
Mekari landed at No. 71 on PFT’s list of the top 100 free agents in 2025.
The 49ers took a break from talking to quarterback Brock Purdy about a new contract so that they could work on adding a new target for his passes.
According to multiple reports, the 49ers have agreed to a three-year deal with tight end Luke Farrell. The contract is worth up to $20.25 million and includes $11 million in guaranteed money.
Farrell will head to the Niners after spending the last four years with the Jaguars. Jacksonville selected him with the 145th pick of the 2021 draft.
Farrell played 66 games and made 20 starts for the Jags. He had 36 catches for 318 yards in those appearances.
The Jaguars are adding a receiver.
Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, Dyami Brown is heading to Jacksonville on a one-year deal.
The initial report indicates Brown’s contract is worth $10 million, which can move up to $12 million.
Brown, 25, just completed his rookie contract with the Commanders. He set career-highs with 30 receptions and 308 receiving yards in 2024. He was on the field for 44 percent of offensive snaps in his 16 games played with three starts.
A third-round pick in 2021, Brown has 59 career catches for 784 yards with four TDs.
Brown was No. 69 on PFT’s list of the top 100 free agents in 2025.
