The buzz around the 49ers is that Brock Purdy, recovering from turf toe, could be back sooner than expected.

No need to rush.

Mac Jones proved in a 26-21 road win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday that the most important position in professional sports is in good hands.

The job belongs to Purdy, but coach Kyle Shanahan can be secure in the knowledge that if the $265 million man needs more time, Jones gives him his best backup option in his seven years as a head coach.

Based on the way Shanahan called the game against New Orleans, it’s something he fully realized going in.

Shanahan placed the game in Jones’ hands from the outset. Any thought the 49ers would go ultra-run-heavy to help negate their injury issues was mistaken. Despite leading throughout, they passed the ball 39 times and ran it 26. That’s unusual for a Shanahan-coached team.

The first four snaps of the game were pass plays. All incomplete. From there, Jones, other than a lost fumble when he held the ball too long, kept a makeshift 49ers’ offense humming even after fullback Kyle Juszczyk (concussion) and left guard Ben Bartch (knee) departed.

Jones completed 26 of 39 passes for 270 yards with touchdown passes of 11 yards to Luke Farrell, 7 yards to Christian McCaffrey and 42 yards to Jauan Jennings. Shanahan was still calling passes late in the game even when it might have been more prudent to call runs.

The three touchdown passes tied Jones’ career high, and he targeted 10 different receivers, completing passes to eight of them.

True, it was the Shanahan system. But keep in mind a lot of players are missing and it’s not as if Jones was playing with a 2023-caliber supporting cast.

The 49ers, already down Purdy and George Kittle and awaiting the return of Brandon Aiyuk, are far from perfect. But this is quarterback nirvana for Shanahan. He has two signal callers he absolutely trusts to execute his system. He trusts Jones more than he did Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Darnold and Trey Lance, the man the 49ers took in the 2021 draft instead of Jones.

“Obviously when you’re having your first start, you’re going to have some nerves,” Jones said. “I was just working through those. And once I finally got into a rhythm, I felt the line did a great job blocking for me, and when they do that, I know I can sit in there and let it fly.”

Mac Jones (10) celebrates with Luke Farrell (89) and Christian McCaffrey after his touchdown pass to Farrell for the 49ers. Getty Images

Much was made of how little the 49ers did in free agency as they purged their roster. Their first touchdown came with their two most significant free agent additions — Farrell and Jones. And the good news for the 49ers is that unlike Darnold, who signed a one-year contract in 2023, they’ve got Jones for two years before he moves on to potential riches after rebuilding his game after three seasons with New England and one in Jacksonville.

“I think I can play really well, and I know this organization and team is really doing a good job just trying to get me back on track,” Jones said. “It’s good to kind of feel a little bit of confidence again, and I’ve got to carry that into next week. It’s one game. Lose or win, it shouldn’t matter. Your process should stay the same and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Jones made a statement drive late in the first half after the Saints had closed within 9-7 on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Spencer Rattler with 1:14 remaining.

On third-and-6 from the 49ers’ 40-yard line and 52 seconds left, Jones found Ricky Pearsall Jr. down the left sideline for 29 yards against Jonas Sanker. Completions to Jake Tonges and Kendrick Bourne got the ball to the 12. Jones hit McCaffrey for 5 yards to the 7 and then the touchdown on a tougher-than-it looked pass in the right flat of the end zone.

By this time, Juszczyk and Bartch had left, with Tonges and Farrell altering their roles at tight end and rookie seventh-round draft pick Connor Colby stepping in for Bartch.

“We were scrambling there for a little bit, trying to figure things out, but I thought (Jones) handled the situation well,” Shanahan said. “He delivered the ball real well.”

When the Saints scored their second touchdown, the 49ers answered again — this time with a 46-yard field goal from Eddy Piñeiro. Included were completions of 14 yards to Pearsall and 11 yards to Bourne. Both were on first down, further evidence that Shanahan was fine with letting Jones take the lead with his passing rather than relying on first-down rushing plays.

After Fred Warner forced and recovered an Alvin Kamara late in the third quarter, Jones made sure to cash in on the turnover with his 42-yard catch and run for a 26-14 lead that ultimately sealed the deal.

“It was a normal, routine play that we run a lot,” Jennings said. “I wouldn’t think I was going to get the ball because the backer dropped and got deep, but Mac ripped a beautiful ball and got into the end zone. He plays with a lot of energy, a lot of passion. I think that’s what San Francisco’s made of.”

Rather than wear out McCaffrey after a 31-touch opener against Seattle, his workload was reasonable and effective with 13 rushes for 55 yards and six catches for 52 more. McCaffrey said he didn’t feel as if Jones needed any kind of pregame pep talk after starting 49 games for the Patriots and Jaguars.

“Mac’s played a lot of football games and we all had full confidence in him,” McCaffrey said. “He had confidence in us. He plays with so much swagger. He’s so loose on the sideline and a great leader. Having a guy like Brock down and having Mac step in was awesome.”

Defensive end Nick Bosa used the same word in describing what Jones brings to the game.

“It’s fun energy to have a backup quarterback with that much swagger and the offense feeds off it,” Bosa said. “He did a great job today.”

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Jones said he has worked on his breathing and slowing down his pulse, and got some words of wisdom from Trent Williams, who played every snap with a knee injury and didn’t determine whether he’d be able to go until pregame warmups.

“He’s like, ‘You’re good. Now go out and hoop,’” and I was like, ‘I got you. I can go hoop,’” Jones said. “Once he said that, I thought ‘Let’s play ball.’”

There’s a long way to go for the 2-0 49ers, but as far as backup plans go, first impressions are that Jones is as good as it gets.