When Purdy’s impressive play as a rookie ignited San Francisco’s last QB controversy, it was easier to write it off as a fluke. He was, after all, an unproven seventh-round pick out of Iowa State. He’s since proved that he belongs as an NFL starter, of course, but he was largely an unknown commodity at the time.

Jones is not a walking question mark. He’s a former first-round pick from a marquee college program that now has one Pro Bowl and 52 starts on his NFL resume. While Jones often struggled after his stellar rookie season with the New England Patriots, he wasn’t exactly in a great situation.

Last season, Jones served as a backup and spot-starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars. While he only won two games in seven starts, it’s worth noting that Trevor Lawrence went 2-8 with the same group.

Jones could very well be on the cusp of an NFL redemption similar to the recent ones we’ve seen from Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. Like those two, Jones is still young enough to become a franchise’s long-term answer at quarterback.

In fact, the 27-year-old is less than 16 months older than Purdy. If the 49ers did decide that Jones gives them their best chance to win long-term, it wouldn’t impact the team’s quarterback timeline.