San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch fell in love with quarterback Trey Lance very early in the evaluation process. Shanahan was excitedly sending Lynch video clips and notes as early as January, shortly after the season ended. That didn't mean Lance was a lock for those months heading into the draft or even after trading up to No. 3 overall in March. He was just the favorite. Shanahan and Lynch still had to do their due diligence on the other prospects.
Another potential option presented itself during the week of the draft. Lynch started hearing whispers of the rift between the Green Bay Packers and the reigning league MVP, quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Were the Packers even interested in listening to trade offers? The 49ers had to at least make a phone call to figure out what was going on.
"We heard it like everyone else," Lynch shared on the Cris Collinsworth Podcast. "There had been a lot of murmurs for a long time about Aaron's not happy. And we're human beings. We watch SportsCenter. We do those things. Like, 'Something's going on here.'
"I happen to have the same agent as Aaron. So, finally, I picked up the phone and was like, 'Hey, Dave (Dunn), is there something (here)?' He said, 'Well, I don't know. You guys ought to call them.'
"I think this is very much a relationship business, and I know (Packers GM) Brian Gutekunst. I have a great deal of respect for him. But Kyle Shanahan knows (Packers head coach) Matt LaFleur a whole lot better. They've coached together. They've known each other for a long time.
"And so, we were so convicted on Trey, but you have to pick up the phone and just see. And so I said, 'Hey Kyle, I think it's better if you call Matt.' He did, and it was a very quick conversation — 'No chance, Shanahan.' Kyle said, 'Don't even waste your time calling [Gutekunst].'"
Lynch was somewhat relieved. The plan heading into the week was to draft Lance. Lynch and Shanahan were excited about that plan and their vision of the 49ers' future with Lance at the helm of the offense. Yes, you have to at least call about the league MVP. But had he been available, it may have made things complicated for San Francisco.
The 49ers general manager didn't use the word "relieved," though, when describing his feeling when learning that Rodgers wasn't available.
"I was kind of — I want to say this the right way — I was kind of excited because we were so excited about Trey and had such great conviction," Lynch said. "But I didn't want to not make that call, and be the moron that never at least called. But it was a very quick, 'No chance.'"
You can listen to the conversation with Lynch below.