49ers roster: 5 creative trades John Lynch could execute in 2022

Creative Trade No. 1: 49ers trade with Buccaneers for Tom Brady’s rights

OK, it’s time to get weird. Or is it?

The Niners are now fully involved in speculation now-retired quarterback Tom Brady will want to come out of retirement and join his boyhood San Francisco team for one final go-around. The problem, though, is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still hold Brady’s rights.

They won’t give Brady up for nothing. And there’s still no guarantee Brady would want to come out of retirement anyway, even if it was the chance to join the 49ers.

That all said, Brady has some leverage here. In theory, he could tell the Bucs he’s never playing for them again and will stay retired unless they agree to trade his rights to the Niners. And if Tampa Bay did so, it would at least gain an asset (San Francisco’s third-round draft pick, in this case) it wouldn’t have had in the first place.

Or choose whatever draft-pick compensation you’d like. That part is almost irrelevant.

Yes, this would be contingent upon the 49ers trading away Jimmy Garoppolo and forcing Trey Lance to sit on the bench in the QB2 role for yet another season. And while that might be frustrating for Lance, few learning opportunities would be better than having Brady serve as a mentor.

With a Super Bowl-caliber roster already in place, Brady could end up being that finishing touch to get the Niners to a championship.

Even if it doesn’t seem likely for John Lynch and Co. to pull off.