"Come home Aaron!" - 49ers fans rally behind Aaron Rodgers over latest rumors of Packers QB joining San Francisco

While his widely-expected move to the New York Jets may have seemingly collapsed, Aaron Rodgers may still have a new (old?) home come 2023.

Rodgers initially expressed his desire to play for the Jets on The Pat McAfee Show last month, but recent talks have broken down over what his former Green Bay Packers will receive in return. Now a surprise suitor much closer to home has emerged.

Speaking on his eponymous show on FS1, Craig Carton mentioned the San Francisco 49ers as a potential destination for the mulitple-time MVP:

Aaron Rodgers is from the area, alright, and has always said, yo, I might want to go home one day."

However, the Packers have been adamant that they will only trade Rodgers to an AFC team. There is also the question of whether San Francisco can shoulder his contract or offer him something valuable in return. But Carton has an idea:

"Here's the reality: San Francisco does not have a first-round draft pick in this draft," he said. "They gave them all away to get Trey Lance. They do, however, because of compensatory picks, have like five third-round picks. So the conversation has been multiple third-round picks in this draft and a first-round draft pick in next year's draft.

"If this happens, the New York Jets no longer exist as a franchise."

While a California homecoming may be appealing for Rodgers, General Manager John Lynch is unlikely to part ways with his young studs Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, one of whom could be the 49ers' next franchise QB.

This has left the 49ers fans excited. Here's what the fans are saying on Twitter:

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When will Aaron Rodgers get traded to the New York Jets?

Speaking to Pat McAfee, Rodgers made his desire to join the Jets known:

"At this point as I sit here, I think, since Friday, I made it clear that my intention was to play, and my intention was to play for the New York Jets.

As for when the trade will happen, if it happens, the Jets begin their offseason program on April 17, so they will want Aaron Rodgers in the team by then so that he can begin acclimatizing himself to the working environment. Another important date is May 1 - that is the deadline for their fifth-year option on Jordan Love. If Love is not extended, then Rodgers may be staying in Green Bay after all.

There is also a dead-cap hit difference when Rodgers is traded. If it occurs before June 1, the Packers will absorb the entirety of Rodgers’ dead-cap hit in 2023. But if it occurs after, they can spread it over the next two years.

And while both teams technically have until the opening of the season to execute the deal, they would rather it happen sooner so that Rodgers will have built team chemistry by the time of his Jets debut.