While longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has done his part to deny the reports of a possible move after recently saying his future with the team was “uncertain,” that hasn’t stopped the speculation from flowing. In a recent report, CBS Sports listed several possible destinations for the 37-year-old signal-caller, with the San Francisco 49ers leading the list.
As explained by the outlet’s Cody Benjamin, the Niners are seemingly facing some uncertainty behind center despite how their current starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, led the club to a Super Bowl appearance last year. However, that reportedly didn’t prevent management from trying to pursue Tom Brady in free agency last offseason or from “[doubling] down” on their plans to upgrade San Francisco’s quarterback rotation.
According to Benjamin, the Niners will only receive a $2.8 million salary-cap hit — while saving $24 million in cap space — if they decide to release Garoppolo. That, he suggested, could theoretically give them a chance of trading for Rodgers without the move affecting their finances.
“Better yet, Rodgers and San Francisco are darn near a match made in heaven. The staff connections aren’t overt, but Rodgers, remember, grew up less than three hours from the city. He’s a California boy, through and through, and was a Niners fan growing up. Heck, the man thought he was going No. 1 to the 49ers during his infamous 2005 draft-day slide.”
As further suggested, Rodgers’ arrival in San Francisco — if the scenario becomes a reality — could give the organization a “true franchise quarterback” 16 years after it opted to select Alex Smith with the first overall pick while the future two-time league MVP slid to No. 24. Benjamin added that Rodgers could be a good “on-field fit” for the Niners, who look to have a solid enough running game and defense to take some pressure off the longtime Packers mainstay.
As shown on his Pro Football Reference page, Rodgers had another fantastic season on paper for the Packers, throwing for 4,299 passing yards and registering a league-leading 48 passes and only five interceptions. He also led the NFL with a 121.5 QB rating and helped Green Bay finish the regular season with a 13-3 record before they lost in the NFC championship game for the second straight season.
Rodgers is not the only star signal-caller who could be on the 49ers’ radar when the 2021 offseason kicks off later this year. As reported by The Inquisitr , the team has apparently gotten the “inside edge” on Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions, though both sides still seem to be far away from coming to terms on a deal.
