Landing with the 49ers would be a pretty good deal for Aaron Rodgers, but it might open the door for a fair amount of criticism down the road.
While Rodgers and the Packers keeping their marriage going isn't impossible, it seems more likely than not he’ll be playing elsewhere next season should he decide to continue playing.
The Raiders are an obvious fit, and the Jets make sense too, as they are both in the AFC and have uncertain quarterback situations.
Another idea that has been kicked around is the 49ers, who have two promising young quarterbacks in Brock Purdy and Trey Lance. One of those two is probably the quarterback for the future, but the Niners have an elite defense and collection of skill players now, and going all-in on this window by adding Rodgers would be within the realm of possibility.
ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio told “The Joe Rose Show” that Rodgers could be dancing with danger though if he is traded to San Francisco.
“I don’t think he’s retiring, and at the end of the day I’m not sure he’s going to leave the Packers," Florio said. "Because I don’t think he wants to go somewhere else and not win a Super Bowl, not get to a Super Bowl and allow a narrative to be fashioned that maybe it wasn’t the Packers that failed him. Maybe part of the blame is on him.
“That’s why the 49ers would be a dangerous destination for him, because if they fail to win a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, maybe it is Aaron Rodgers.
“And one last point, here’s the ultimate reason why he’s not retiring. If he retires now, he and Tom Brady go into the Hall of Fame the same weekend. And when you fill out the marquee for that Hall of Fame weekend, it’s Tom Brady in giant letters and it’s special guest star Aaron Rodgers down at the bottom.”
That all makes sense, but does Rodgers have any interest in playing near where he grew up, and do the 49ers want to replace Lance or Purdy with a veteran quarterback? Apparently not.
When asked Thursday at the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach if he had any news to share about his future, Rodgers said that he's "not going to San Fran."
And then there's this... 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch told reporters on Thursday that they won't be pursuing a high-profile veteran quarterback this offseason.
And who knows if the Packers would even entertain trading Rodgers within the conference – especially if there’s interest in the AFC. Regardless, all eyes are on Rodgers now with Brady retired.
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