Tiki Barber: Aaron Rodgers/49ers Rumors Have 'Validity'

Tiki Barber thinks Aaron Rodgers going to the 49ers is a very real possibility.

A stunning report in early April from FS1 star Craig Carton indicated the 49ers might be attempting to put together a trade package for the Green Bay Packers QB.

"The conversation has been multiple third round picks in this draft and a first round draft pick in next year’s draft," Carton told viewers a couple months ago.

Trade talks haven't publicly advanced between the 49ers and Packers, and Barber thinks the 49ers are now a very real option for the Packers QB.

Tiki Barber adds to Aaron Rodgers/49ers rumors.

"All of this little simmering, it's not even like smoke coming out of this thing, it's just a little crinkling of flames starting to burgeon up under the leaves about Aaron Rodgers actually going to the 49ers as opposed to the Jets now has some validity," Barber said Wednesday on "Tiki & Tierney."

The former NFL RB further speculated, "If they trade Trey Lance and Brock Purdy isn't available to play this year because of UCL surgery, Sam Darnold is not, I promise you, is not starting for the 49ers. They will go get, and they're okay to mortgage their future because they don't care, they're not worried about losing their jobs. They've done it before. They've gotten to the championship game, they've gotten deep in the playoffs. This team will go get Aaron Rodgers if he's available, and the Jets, the premise we started this with, will be stuck sitting out in the cold with their underwear on and that's it."

Are the 49ers a real landing spot for Rodgers?

Aaron Rodgers made it clear in March he wants to leave the Packers and play for the Jets. The Jets have indicated they are willing to welcome the QB with open arms. GM Joe Douglas also guaranteed fans Rodgers is coming. That's the clearest indication of the team's plans.

However, there's been virtually no public movement on the issue, and the Jets and Packers are reportedly in a standoff over trade compensation. Neither team is reportedly interested in budging.

That means the Packers might start looking elsewhere. Rodgers is from California, the 49ers have plenty of the talent on the roster and nearly made the Super Bowl last season with Brock Purdy under center down the stretch.

Will the 49ers trade for Aaron Rodgers? (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

San Francisco's Super Bowl odds would rocket up if the team traded for Rodgers. The biggest problem is the 49ers have limited draft assets. The team has no first or second round picks in 2023.

That means the team would have to give up future first round or second round picks. Do the Packers want to wait that long to get some serious compensation?

Will the Jets successfully trade for Aaron Rodgers? Speculation is growing about the 49ers trading for the QB. (Photo by Kayla Wolf/Getty Images)

That's a decision Green Bay will have to make. The one thing we do know is the situation remains fluid. Right now, it looks like nobody knows for sure what is happening with Aaron Rodgers and his future plans. It would be a hell of an M. Night Shyamalan twist if the 49ers snuck in at the 11th hour and snagged Rodgers.