The San Francisco 49ers had a hugely disappointing season, marred by inconsistent play and injuries all around. After losing in overtime of Super Bowl 58, the team missed the playoffs entirely this past season, and some big changes are already on the horizon.
Both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel Sr. are among the top names in consideration as trade targets, with the latter having already officially demanded a trade from the organization. Amidst all that flux, one NFL reporter believes the quarterback position might also see a drastic change, with Brock Purdy potentially not the Week 1 starter.
San Francisco 49ers Could Choose Veteran Over Brock Purdy
With nearly two and a half years of experience under his belt, Purdy’s career is hard to judge. Under the ideal circumstances, he’s been a true force, elevating the 49ers into a juggernaut with back-to-back NFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl berth as well.
However, last season, without his full supporting cast around him, Purdy charged San Francisco to a lower standard than their usual offensive production while having his worst statistical season. Meanwhile, making the least amount of money of any starting QB in the NFL, an extension isn’t far away.
But rather than give him a lucrative extension — in line somewhere that of Dak Prescott’s — head coach Kyle Shanahan and the team might choose to go in an entirely different direction and sign a four-time MVP in Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers not returning as the quarterback of the New York Jets can’t have been a huge surprise to anyone watching the drama in the franchise unfold. However, the speculation about his next team has brought a ton of interesting conversations to the forefront.
One name near the top of the list of those teams has been the 49ers. Yardbarker’s Mike J. Asti believes there is a possibility, claiming, “Rodgers could help a receiver room that may be dealing with some big changes.”
Moreover, Asti called back to the 2005 NFL Draft when the team passed on him.
“Rodgers in a 49ers uniform would also bring his career full circle. San Francisco famously passed on the California product in the 2005 NFL Draft.”
A move back to his home state of California makes sense for Rodgers, yet PFSN’s Sterling Xie did not list the 49ers as a potential landing spot for the veteran QB. Instead, Xie predicted that Rodgers would land with a rebuilding organization as a bridge quarterback for a younger player.
In the 2024 season, Rodgers tallied 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns, both better than what Purdy produced in The Bay. Yet, his value is at an all-time low due to the drama around the Jets and the production amongst the worst of his career.
As a result, a veteran deal for a year or two might not cost as much as Mr. Irrelevant could be in line to make. Keeping that financial benefit in mind, it might not be completely out of the question that the 49ers give Rodgers some serious consideration.