Evan Roberts believes Craig Carton is simply a pawn in the Packers’ game.
Hours after Carton suggested the 49ers could potentially be in play for Aaron Rodgers should Green Bay’s negotiations with the Jets fall through, Roberts said Tuesday afternoon that his WFAN co-host is “just being used” by Packers brass as a scare tactic against New York.
“The Green Bay Packers needed to find a lemon. They needed to find somebody that could put the message out there to scare [Jets general manager] Joe Douglas, to try to get it over the finish line. You happen to be that lemon,” Roberts said.
“… But right now, this is all an attempt — and I give the Packers credit, it’s creative — all an attempt to scare the Jets. … Craig, you’re doing nothing wrong, you’re just being used.”
The Jets and Packers remain at a standstill as they continue to iron out the details of the Rodgers trade.
Green Bay initially wanted the Jets’ 13th overall pick in this year’s draft as part of the package, but allegedly walked back on that demand.
One of the Jets’ second-rounders, however, could potentially be part of a deal that sends the four-time NFL MVP to New York.
“Why would anyone want to use me?” Carton said, according to Awful Announcing. “I didn’t put it out there for attention. You saw the correspondence I got. I’m not a clickbait guy. People that don’t know me nationally can say whatever they want, I don’t care.”
“Do you guys actually think I went on the radio yesterday and today or on TV this morning and decided, ‘I want attention and clicks so I’m gonna make something up.’ Do you guys honestly think I would ever do that?”
Should negotiations between the clubs suddenly go awry, that’s when San Francisco can swoop in, according to Carton.
“The conversation has been multiple third-round picks in this draft, and a first-round draft pick in next year’s draft,” Carton said Tuesday in regard to potential compensation.
There is much uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position in San Francisco.
Trey Lance, whom the 49ers selected third overall in 2021 after sending several first-round picks to the Dolphins, is coming off of a season-ending ankle injury.
Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who stepped in for much of the regular season following Lance’s injury, signed with the Raiders in NFL free agency.
Brock Purdy, the unexpected superstar of the postseason, underwent surgery last month for an elbow injury he sustained in January’s NFC Championship game.
Carton suggested Rodgers could be a possible solution to all of San Francisco’s unknowns.
“They have Trey Lance coming off a broken ankle, they’ve got Brock Purdy, who’s not going to be throwing the ball until August or September (the timeline calls for June), and they signed [former Jets and Panthers quarterback] Sam Darnold. They do not have a quarterback right now,” Carton said.
San Francisco has been the first additional team linked to Rodgers since the Jets and Packers revved up negotiations in the offseason.
Carton, not typically among the usual cast of NFL news-breakers, told Roberts he “didn’t put it out there for attention.”
As of Thursday, Rodgers is still a Packer.