The two make a good pair.

While there was plenty of speculation last season about what the San Francisco 49ers would do with backup quarterback Mac Jones, recent reports suggest that the team may choose to keep the No. 2 signal-caller this offseason rather than trade him.

If that’s true, it may mean that a reunion with wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is in the cards.

ESPN reported the Niners plan to hold onto Jones through this offseason. He is under contract for 2026, so the Niners do not have to deal him if they don’t want to. With how well he played last season filling in for Brock Purdy, he certainly proved that he can be a starter in the NFL.

Plus, we just saw how Sam Darnold’s brief stint with San Francisco in 2023 set him on the path to be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks. Other teams around the NFL may be looking at that and want to try and replicate that strategy for success.

If a team offers something crazy for Jones, like a first-round pick or a blue-chip player, the Niners may not be able to say no. But it would take something special because Jones proved just how valuable he can be for head coach Kyle Shanahan in an emergency role.

In eight starts, Jones went 5-3 and completed nearly seventy percent of his pass attempts for 2,151 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions. If he doesn’t perform that well, there is no way the Niners make the playoffs.

And if the Niners keep Jones, they might as well keep his favorite target, Bourne.

If 49ers keep Mac Jones, they should keep Kendrick Bourne, too

Last season, Bourne reunited with the Niners after spending several seasons with the New England Patriots. It was there that he established a connection with Jones, primarily back in 2021 after Bourne departed San Francisco via free agency.

The chemistry the two have was on full display when Purdy was out and the Niners were missing some of their top wide receivers. Bourne had over 140 receiving yards in consecutive games and seemed to be on the same page as Jones.

Bourne did not seem to have that same connection with Purdy, but the veteran receiver would still be a solid player to have on the depth chart. He brings a lot of energy and has an understanding of Shanahan’s offense.

With several 49ers wide receivers set to be free agents, the group could look a lot different next season.

But if the Niners do indeed retain Jones, then it would not be a bad idea to bring Bourne back as well.