If the San Francisco 49ers trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk where will he go?
It may be that the 49ers’ star pass catcher is about to be on the move. Assuming that’s the case, it’s now a question of where and for how much.
By all accounts, Brandon Aiyuk’s time in the Bay Area could 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.
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, Washington Commanders, and Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. 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. All in all, this is a top-tier player so it’s now a question of who’s going to pay and how much.