No one could have predicted where the San Francisco 49ers would currently be with their quarterback situation. At this point last year, Trey Lance was their guy. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft was preparing to take over the starting job from Jimmy Garoppolo as San Francisco was rebuilding its system around him.
Lance lasted less than six quarters before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Garoppolo was thrust back into the starting lineup before suffering an injury of his own in Week 13. Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy, stepped into the lineup and the team didn’t miss a step.
Already this offseason, Garoppolo moved on, signing a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
General manager John Lynch has said that Purdy is the leader in the clubhouse for the starting spot, leaving Lance in limbo.
Alas, there are still some questions about whether or not Purdy will be ready once the season rolls around. He suffered an elbow injury during the NFC Championship game that required surgery.
It would make sense for Lance to just step into the lineup should Purdy not be ready, but the team could have bigger plans. According to Craig Carton, the 49ers are preparing to make a run at Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers.
All signs have pointed to Rodgers eventually being traded to the New York Jets, but the 49ers are ready to pounce should that not come to fruition. Carton shared that San Francisco has made two third-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft available in a trade.
That is certainly shocking to hear as it was believed that there was no one else in the running for Rodgers. He made his intentions clear a few weeks ago, stating that he intends to play for the Jets in 2023. Returning home to San Francisco certainly wouldn’t be the worst consolation prize.
This is something to keep an eye on as it could very well be posturing on the Packers’ part. They have not been happy about negotiations with the Jets thus far, who reportedly low-balled them during negotiations. Leaking that another team is involved could help Green Bay get more out of the Jets in a trade package.
