Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors: Where could the 49ers’ wide receiver end up?
The 49ers’ star pass catcher could soon be on the move. Now it’s now a question of where and for how much - let’s take a look at his options.
It seems that Brandon Aiyuk’s time in the Bay Area could soon be coming to an end. What remains to be seen is what the San Francisco 49ers will get in exchange for the services of their No. 1 wide receiver, one who has arguably been the team’s best player.
During the past few weeks, four teams have been rumored to hold an interest in the 26-year-old, who is entering the fifth year of his rookie contract, worth about $14.1 million. During the past few hours there have been claims of a verbal agreement between the player and the Steelers...
Brandon Aiyuk’s trade is on the horizon
According to reports, the San Francisco 49ers have negotiated the frameworks of potential trades for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with both the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. To that end, the choice of where Aiyuk plays next is up to him. As per reports, the Niners have accepted the packages offered by both teams such that it is now down to Aiyuk to decide on the personal terms that he prefers between them.
It is understood that the 49ers will receive a veteran wide receiver and a package of picks in return for their No. 1 wideout. It should be said that news of a possible trade comes on the back of an NFL Media report on Monday which indicated that the franchise gave permission to Aiyuk to negotiate contractual terms with the Browns, Patriots, Steelers and Washington Commanders.
Indeed, the report gained even more traction after Aiyuk’s teammate and star running back Christian McCaffrey appeared to make a slip while speaking to the media, referring to Aiyuk as his “former teammate.”
At this point, it’s understood that this has become a three-horse race with Washington having dropped out (the only feasible link to the latter seems to be his close friend and former college teammate Jayden Daniels).
Three options for Aiyuk - or stay in San Francisco
Interestingly, Pittsburgh who were reportedly unwilling to match San Francisco’s asking price initially have now restarted talks. So, what comes next? To be honest, it will depend entirely on what the Niners are willing to accept for the 26-year-old. What we do know - according to reports - is that the Niners were looking for a first-round pick.
We also know that Aiyuk’s camp is said to be looking for an annual salary of $28 million. Where things get tricky is with the franchise’s trade requirements in that reports suggest that none of the above-mentioned teams are willing to meet them.
For context, it should be said that we’ve seen four wide receivers secure $30 million-plus contracts this offseason which is to say, a player of Aiyuk’s status is not demanding more than he’s worth. Indeed, when we consider the fact that the former No. 25 overall pick out of Arizona State had career highs this past season, it starts to look like a no-brainer.
On 75 catches, Aiyuk recorded a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. His 17.9 yards per reception ranked second in the NFL among qualified players behind George Pickens, while his 3.1 yards per route run ranked third behind Tyreek Hill and Nico Collins.
What did Kyle Shanahan says about the Aiyuk situation?
All in all, this is a top-tier player so it’s now a question of who’s going to pay and how much. Then there is the chance that Aiyuk could stay where he is. There is a possibility that San Francisco could strike a new deal with Aiyuk - or use the franchise tag on him in 2025.
Yesterday, head coach Kyle Shanahan said he hopes the matter is resolved sooner rather than later. “This stuff does take time. Every day I hope it gets resolved, but I have no timetable on it, didn’t surprise me coming into this. I’m going about coaching our team, getting them ready for Week 1, and hopefully it’ll get resolved sooner rather than later,” he said.
“Brandon’s a great player, so it’s real hard to be better when you lose a great player,” Shanahan added. “So, we’ve got to look at anything, we’ve got to understand the situation we’re in, what that looks like, and that does take time. Hopefully, it’ll all work out best for him and best for us in the long run”.