49ers' Mac Jones Out vs. Chargers with Sprained Knee Injury, Sudfeld Signs Contract

The San Francisco 49ers made some changes under center for their preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.

On Tuesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that backup quarterback Mac Jones will miss the game with a knee sprain. The team signed veteran signal-caller Nate Sudfeld to fill the gap.

Per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Shanahan added that Jones is expected to recover in time to be Brock Purdy's backup for the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 7.

Jones played in both of San Francisco's previous two preseason games. He threw for 74 yards and an interception against the Denver Broncos and 135 yards with an interception against the Las Vegas Raiders before injuring his knee in that game.

The No. 15 pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, Jones spent the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being traded last offseason and threw for 1,672 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in 10 appearances with seven starts. He signed a two-year deal with the 49ers in March.

Sudfeld entered the league in 2016 as a sixth-round draft pick and previously spent time in San Francisco in 2021. He's appeared in six career NFL games.

The 49ers will lean on Sudfeld and Carter Bradley as the primary signal-callers against the Chargers before Purdy takes over the preparations for Week 1 of the 2025 campaign.