In the past, Philip Rivers has expressed great hesitancy to follow the Chargers if they ever left San Diego. But now that the move is a reality, the quarterback of the now Los Angeles Chargers has changed his tune.
One more time, Philip Rivers is not pushing a trade to 49ers. He has no-trade clause. He's fine with LA. From Philip.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) January 17, 2017
From a football perspective, a move to the San Francisco 49ers would make absolutely no sense. The 49ers are one of the NFL’s least talented rosters, especially on offense. They are likely 2-3 years away from being a playoff contender and frankly, that’s being generous. Additionally, San Francisco is presently without a general manager or head coach. So, we don’t even know if Rivers would fit in with what will be a new look team.
I tried like hell to confirm “reports" of #49ers interest in Philip Rivers. I called offices of coach and GM. Nobody picked up the phone.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 17, 2017
So, the 49ers don’t make any sense. But should Rivers look for a trade?
He’s obviously loyal to San Diego and has a huge family established there. But wouldn’t a move to Los Angeles be the easiest transition to make?
Perhaps.
But that leaves another question. While the Chargers aren’t as bad as the 49ers, they aren’t exactly knocking on the door of the Super Bowl, either. The teammates would be the same, but a move to Los Angeles is still going to be a sizable transition. If the 35-year-old quarterback is prepared to transition anyway, why not do so on a possible contender?
Trades within the division are challenging, but Rivers would make a lot of sense for the Denver Broncos. He’d also be a good fit for the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, or Minnesota Vikings.
Rivers may have made his peace with the move. But while he should be selective as to possible destinations, he shouldn’t be ruling out the possibility of a trade.