3 reasons 49ers wouldn’t think about trading for Matt Ryan

Earlier in the offseason, no one was thinking the 49ers would possibly trade for Falcons QB Matt Ryan, right? But that’s a discussion piece all of a sudden.

If you thought the San Francisco 49ers’ 2022 offseason was weird enough, particularly with all the speculation about quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo‘s future, think again.

Former NFL offensive lineman and current SiriusXM radio host Geoff Schwartz came up with a theory in light of the Atlanta Falcons being potential front-runners in the sweepstakes for a trade with the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Watson is off to the Cleveland Browns instead, though. But if Atlanta wound up netting Watson, Schwartz felt either the Niners or the Indianapolis Colts could look to make a trade for the Falcons’ current signal-caller, Matt Ryan:

Bold take. One which our parent site, FanSided, even suggested possible, too.

The Colts may make some sense, particularly after moving quarterback Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders and not having a viable replacement on the roster.

But San Francisco, armed with its top pick from last year’s NFL Draft, quarterback Trey Lance, are poised for him to start in 2022. It’s the primary reason why the 49ers are actively looking to trade Garoppolo this offseason.

OK, on the surface, some may argue why Ryan would be a good fit. Arguably his best years as a pro, including his 2016 MVP season, came when now-Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator. Ryan knows Shanahan’s offense and would be seen as an upgrade over Garoppolo. And with San Francisco boasting a Super Bowl-caliber roster right now, going after Ryan would indicate a willingness to go “all in,” at least in name recognition.

But the rationale ends there, so let’s break down some specific reasons why the 49ers would have zero interest in trading for Ryan if Watson suddenly finds himself going to the Falcons.