The Vikings and Aaron Rodgers have mutual interest according to reports. Does that mean Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is available, and would the 49ers be interested in trading for him?
The Vikings drafted McCarthy last year before they realized just how good their roster was. Then they won 14 games with Sam Darnold as their quarterback. Now, they probably think they can win a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers, and they might be right.
Which brings us back to McCarthy. He's an extremely talented young quarterback, but he doesn't quite fit the Vikings all-in win-now timeline, because he's essentially a rookie. You can't expect him to win a Super Bowl in his first season starting.
Meanwhile, the 49ers aren't all-in anymore. In fact, they're rebuilding and slashing their spending budget. So McCarthy actually would be a great fit for them.
What's the point of making Brock Purdy the highest-paid player in franchise history when the front office is in the process of tearing down the team around him? Why spend so much money on a non-elite quarterback when the 49ers are so far away from Super Bowl contention?
If the 49ers want to save money, what better way than to trade Brock Purdy to a team that needs a quarterback (the Steelers?) and then trade for McCarthy, who won't be eligible for an extension until 2027?
McCarthy might intrigue the 49ers because he has experience under center and has been coached by Jim Harbaugh and Kevin O' Connell -- two of the best quarterback coaches in the world.
