Green Bay Packers land first-round pick in proposed Aaron Rodgers trade with San Francisco 49ers

This much is certain when it comes to Green Bay Packers first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers– he will not be playing with the Packers this coming season. Most likely, the 39-year-old will eventually be traded to the New York Jets, as rumored/planned/negotiated.

However, stalled talks and a difficulty in reaching an agreement on his trade value have opened the door, ever so slightly, to the possibility of a trade somewhere else.

In come the San Francisco 49ers and their long history of willingness to trade draft picks for established veteran stars. Just this draft, as a matter of fact, they were willing to trade for Christian McCaffrey, giving away picks in the second, third, and fourth rounds.

It’s not a stretch to believe that they may do something similar on draft day (or shortly before) to bring stability to the quarterback position reeling from injury and uncertainty. With starter Brock Purdy recovering from March 10 surgery to repair a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm and backup Trey Lance, who missed most of 2022 with injury, rumored to be headed elsewhere, the need for a quality quarterback is very real.

Plugging a proven winner like Rodgers into the starter slot will give the 49ers time to assess Purdy’s field readiness while providing the playoff-bound team a veteran field leader.

Lombardiave.com’s Freddy Boston proposes a trade that would make sense for both teams, but one which would require a hefty haul from San Francisco.

In this trade:

The 49ers would get Aaron Rodgers.

In return, the Packers would receive a third-round pick in this year’s draft (99^th overall) and a guaranteed first-round pick in 2024.

The deal would give the Packers the first round pick that is reportedly the obstacle in making a deal for Rodgers with the Jets. In the present tense, it’ll give them a moderately valuable pick in this year’s draft as well.

The expected return for Rodgers has been a topic of debate all throughout NFL fandom and media. Some have questioned the quarterback’s trade value given his age and recent statements from him that indicate he may not be playing too much longer. The Packers, reportedly, are expecting at least one first-round draft pick for him, along with some other considerations. Although reports have recently surfaced stating that their hardline stance may be softening, they’ll be expecting a sizable return no matter what.

The proposed deal with the 49ers could be a viable Plan B if the Jets deal withers and dies.