Report: No market yet for Mac Jones — and more

A market has not emerged for 49ers backup quarterback Mac Jones, according to a report from The Athletic. With numerous free-agent options available, quarterback-needy teams are prioritizing players they can acquire without surrendering a draft pick.

While the 49ers claim they do not want to trade Jones, they possess full control over his rights through 2026. Should a trade occur, Jones' low salary of $3.25 million could become a factor, but teams are currently focused on the open market before potentially revisiting a move for the former first-round pick.

The NFL should consider adapting Pro Bowl protocols to the Scouting Combine originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Every year since the 1980s, NFL franchises have invited draft prospects to team headquarters or a centralized location for workouts and testing. Over recent history the number of players invited reached over 300 players.

Every year over recent memory, some players have chosen to not perform during the workout portion. Others opt out of certain physical testing. This has never really been an issue if private workouts and pro days exist. That is until this year.

In 2026 the NFL Scouting Combine organizing committee invited 319 players Indianapolis. The vast majority of which participated in the measurements and certain aspects of physical testing. When it came to the actual workout, more than 60% of the invitees opted out of the workout portion. Quarterbacks alone had almost 70% that did not participate.

The NFL’s Pro Bowl has lost more fans than it has retained over time. Many viewers hoping it will return to an actual tackle football game with stakes and others simply want it to go away. The Pro Bowl does something that the Combine should adopt is alternates.

When the Pro Bowl rosters are announced there is always an understanding that any of those players could opt out due to an upcoming Super Bowl appearance, an injury, fear of getting an injury or since they moved it out of Hawaii, some players just don’t want to participate. Those players are replaced with alternates.

This past Pro Bowl included Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders, Tyler Warren, Dalton Kincaid, Tee Higgins, Patrick Ricard, Jalen Hurts, Jared Goff, CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. Each of those names were Pro Bowl alternates.

Even for a flag event, it would not have been much of a game if those 11 players who chose not to participate, showed up and simply didn’t play. Lebron James did this very thing at the most recetn NBA All-Star game and it was not received well. That’s why the league utilizes alternates.

The Combine should introduce invite alternates

The pre-Draft process has been often referred to as the biggest job interview in all of sports. For some, it’s a four-month process that does not let up until the draft occurs. Teams are trying to find weaknesses; players are trying to look as good as possible. The Combine is not a leisurely, take it as it comes situation. It’s chaotic and excessively scheduled.

The Combine is almost required for anyone invited. Not due to the workout, but for the interviews, medical and physical measurements. There are not many agents that would recommend their client avoid the Combine. However, there are many agents who would try to convince their clients not to participate in the workouts.

More: One NFL team asked Fernando Mendoza to get arrested to slide in the NFL Draft

The fix should be obvious. Introduce alternates for the workouts. If they were going to invite 319 players to be measured, go through medical and perform in the workouts, what would be the issue with inviting 400 to 450 players to be measured? As well as being available to workout in place of someone choosing not to.

Then when 50+% of the original three hundred and change decline the workout, there are a hundred or more players who were not initially invited that would gladly take their place in those workouts.

More: Trent Dilfer says he was 'forced' to take UAB head coaching job

If the NFL Scouting Combine is the largest portion of the largest job interview and there are always players who get left out, why not create a protocol that allows NFL front offices to view more players? There absolutely will be names called during Draft weekend who were not invited to the Combine. Teams scout more names than the Combine list.

If Fernando Mendoza and Rueben Bain Jr want to attend, interview with teams and get their official measurements, that is perfectly fine. However, the league should adopt alternates to make room for players who otherwise would not get an opportunity to compete.  

More college football news: 

• Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes
• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Steve Sarkisian blasts Ohio State players for not going to class
• NCAA targets exposed calves in latest proposed college football rule change
• High school football recruits using AI-generated highlight tapes is on the rise