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

Reason No. 1: Would Matt Ryan even move the needle for 49ers?

Sure, Matt Ryan is better than Jimmy Garoppolo. But we’re not talking exceptionally better here. And soon to be 37 years old, Ryan is likely on the decline in the latter stages of his career.

While Atlanta’s offense left a lot to be desired, San Francisco targeting a castoff quarterback with the hopes of such a move being the key X-factor in getting back to the Super Bowl, and winning this time, remains a stretch.

The NFC West is significantly weaker now with Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson leaving the rebuilding Seattle Seahawks for the Denver Broncos, and the NFC as a whole is surely the weaker conference.

That’s fine. But one can fairly wonder whether or not Ryan would make the 49ers a significantly better team than they were with Garoppolo under center. While Ryan is by far better than the Seahawks’ current option under center, Drew Lock, it’s probably safe to argue he’d be the third-best quarterback in the division behind the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford.

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Is that the kind of move the Niners want to surrender assets for while also delaying Trey Lance’s inevitable debut as a full-time starter?

It would be one thing if San Francisco was somehow able to lure in of the league’s elite, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tom Brady or the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers, even if it meant Lance had to sit another season.

But Ryan is neither Brady nor Rodgers. Not even close.

So, no, that portion of the argument doesn’t make much sense either. And in that regard, a Ryan-to-49ers deal won’t go down.