Getty 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk is not on the trade market, but that could change.
One of the chief complaints that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had about the way that the last 49ers season unfolded—at the end, in particular—as that he felt underutilized. He had just nine catches for 149 yards in the 49ers’ three postseason games, and was targeted only six times in the Super Bowl against a Kansas City defensive backfield he felt was vulnerable.
Part of the solution for Aiyuk, who is locked in a contract standoff with the 49ers, as he seeks a new deal that would put his salry among the skyrocketing payouts being given to other star receivers, could be to take a step down from the contending 49ers to a lesser team where he wouldn’t have the same chance at a Super Bowl but would be the unquestioned No. 1 offensive star.
Last month, Aiyuk himself cited two such teams: The Commanders, where his former college teammate, Jayden Daniels, is set to take over as the quarterback, or the Steelers, a potential AFC contender that acquired both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to man the QB spot this season.
But Bleacher Report recently added another longshot to the mix: The New England Patriots, a team that has the cap space to give Aiyuk a mega-contract, perhaps even making him the league’s highest paid receiver, while arming the 49ers with some truly valuable draft capital.
Brandon Aiyuk Situation Looms
That’s the thrust of a proposal from Bleacher Report, in an article titled, “Hypothetical 3-Team Trades That Would Turn the NFL Upside Down Before 2024 Season.” Among the deals is one that would bring the disgruntled Aiyuk to the Patriots with a deal also involving the Falcons.
Here’s how the trade is laid out by B/R’s Kristopher Knox:
Falcons Get: Edge Matthew Judon
Patriots Get: WR Brandon Aiyuk
49ers Get: CB Mike Hughes, Patriots’ 2025 first-round pick, Falcons’ 2025 third-round pick
And Knox’s reasoning: “Aiyuk met with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch on June 24, according to ESPN’s Ryan Clark, but to this point, no agreement has been made public. Meeting Aiyuk’s demands will be a challenge, given the rise the receiver market has seen this offseason.
“If the standoff continues, trading Aiyuk could be logical for San Francisco. The 49ers still have Deebo Samuel, re-signed Jauan Jennings and used a first-round pick on Ricky Pearsall. For the right return, Aiyuk could be viewed as expendable.”
49ers Could Get Valuable Patriots Pick
Indeed, even with Aiyuk in the mix, the Patriots still figure to struggle in 2024, and there is a strong chance the 49ers could compete for a Super Bowl without Aiyuk while also finding themselves in line for a Top 5 pick in the draft. An early read on next year’s draft says it will be heavy on edge rushers and offensive tackles, two areas the 49ers would like to address long-term.
Alas, recent reporting suggests that the 49ers still have no intention of trading Aiyuk.
Speaking on Pittsburgh radio (via SI.com), ESPN’s Adam Schefter said this week, “I would expect that he’s in a Niners uniform. The question is, is it going to be beyond this year? He under contract to them, and why would a Super Bowl contending team trade a starting wide receiver for a future draft pick? Not gonna do that. That doesn’t do anything to help you win a Super Bowl this year.”
With good reason, of course. He is coming off an All-Pro season in which he racked up 1,342 yards on 75 catches with seven touchdowns.
It’s all a matter of whether the 49ers want to—or can—commit something in the range of $30 million per year for Aiyuk. If there’s no way to get a deal done, the 49ers could have little choice but to wash their hands of the situation and get the best first-rounder possible in a trade.
That, it seems, could be from New England.