With the Green Bay Packers headed toward a non-playoff season for the first time in four years, speculation about Aaron Rodgers getting traded is ramping up again.
Rodgers requested a trade from the Packers after the 2020 season, even though he won his third league MVP award and led the team to the NFC Championship Game as the top seed. Green Bay’s front office held firm and worked tirelessly to bring Rodgers back, and he ultimately agreed to return in 2021.
After winning his fourth MVP award, Rodgers signed a three-year contract extension worth $150 million, seemingly committing his long-term future to the Packers. But could a losing season prompt the 39-year-old to seek a trade again?
We’ll have to wait and see how the dominos fall, but one well-known NFL insider offered an interesting trade idea that would see the future Hall of Famer join an NFC heavyweight in the San Francisco 49ers.
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe mentioned the 49ers as a potential landing spot for Packers. But the 49ers lack a 2023 first-round pick after moving up to draft Trey Lance third overall in 2021…which leads to this interesting proposal from Howe:
“If Rodgers desires a new landscape, the 49ers immediately come to mind, but they don’t have a first-round pick until 2024 because they already moved up for Lance. Perhaps they can move Lance and flip that capital to acquire Rodgers, but would it be enough? That’s why Brady or retaining Jimmy Garoppolo feels more likely for San Francisco.”
After news of Rodgers’ trade request came out, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the 49ers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders were on Rodgers’ wish list.
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The Lance selection obviously took San Francisco out of the running at the time, and the Broncos are no longer an option after acquiring and extending Russell Wilson for $245 million over five years. As for the Raiders, one has to wonder if Rodgers is actually keen on joining a team that’s heading for its fifth non-playoff season in six years.
All of this is for another day. For now, Rodgers and the 5-8 Packers will focus on trying to get some momentum going when they host the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams on Monday night at Lambeau Field.
