The NFL welcomed five new quarterbacks on Day 1 of the 2021 draft, but it was one of the league's current top signal-callers who largely dominated the football news cycle Thursday.
Aaron Rodgers trade rumors were all over the place in the hours leading up to the start of the draft's first round. One of the teams at the forefront of the chatter was the 49ers, who might have made an offer to the Packers for their star QB. In fact, one report indicated Rodgers was expecting to be dealt to San Francisco prior to the draft.
John Lynch addressed the Rodgers rumors Thursday night, not long after the Niners selected Trey Lance with the third overall pick. San Francisco's general manager didn't shy away from the fact that his team checked in with Green Bay.
"When the MVP of the league might be available, and I didn't know that, I'm just reading the tea leaves like everybody else and saying, 'Hold on, is something going on here?' Lynch said, as transcribed by ESPN's Adam Schefter. "Yeah, we inquired and it was a quick in to the conversation, it wasn't happening."
As it stands, all signs suggest a Rodgers trade is, indeed, not happening. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst made as much abundantly clear Thursday when he said the rumors of a Rodgers trade are "absolutely false."
