The Chicago Bears helped out their future rookie quarterback for the upcoming season when they traded with the Los Angeles Chargers for wide receiver Keenan Allen. Caleb Williams, the Bears expected No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, would have D.J. Moore and Allen to throw to in his rookie season.
The Chicago Bears need to add more help for Caleb Williams
While that pair would make any rookie quarterback feel comfortable, the Bears could do more to set up Williams or their next quarterback for long-term success. Allen is only under contract for the 2024 season in Chicago, and the Bears need to add another receiver to their corps. The Bears could trade with the San Francisco 49ers for a disgruntled wide receiver.
The 49ers gave developing quarterback Brock Purdy a pass-catching unit that included Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk. This arrangement worked perfectly for the 49ers, who went to the NFC Championship in Purdy’s rookie season and the Super Bowl in his second season.
Brandon Aiyuk wants a big bag from the San Francisco 49ers
But the 49ers success has come at the cost of their cap space. Aiyuk wants a payday in the range of $30 million a year. Aiyuk and the 49ers are far apart in negotiations this offseason. Aiyuk recently unfollowed the 49ers on Instagram to signal he is serious about getting a new contract before playing in the 2024 season.
Aiyuk is set to play for about $14 million in the upcoming season. So he’d be playing for about half of what he thinks he should for the season. The 49ers don’t see him as an elite player, and with Purdy’s extension looming in the next offseason, they might not have the money to pay him even if they wanted to.
The 49ers could look for a trade similar to what the Tennessee Titans received when they traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles gave up the No. 18 and No. 101 pick for Brown.
Projected Trade
Bears receive
- Brandon Aiyuk
49ers receive
- No. 9 pick
The Bears would have a formidable WR corps
Since the Bears have a top-ten pick, they wouldn’t have to give up the extra pick like the Eagles sent the Titans. The 49ers could use the pick to add an elite and talented wide receiver like Rome Odunze or tight end Brock Bowers to play on a rookie contract.
The Bears would add another established wide receiver for Williams, which is a goal the team has for the No. 9 pick. While the Bears would have to pay Aiyuk No. 1 receiver money, general manager Ryan Poles would be assured he’s getting a talented player and isn’t taking a risk on a pass catcher who might bust. Aiyuk is coming into the 2024 season on back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
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6 Comments
Talk about the worse trade I’ve ever heard of….. we got Allen, who is 10 times the receiver for a 2nd round. Number 9 is not worth this guy. Not even if I smoked all the drugs I could find. I’m from the Bay area. He is not worth the money he wants….to be paid as much as Moore and Allen combined? He isn’t as good as either….
Are you kidding me, he’s not worth a first round maybe a 5th or 6th next year
Why would the Bears want to pay him? Plus giving up #9 pick. This is laughable.
Silly trade, the writer must be bored or desperate to deliver content. Yes the Bears need more WR help, and we will find it with the 9th overall pick, and only pay on a rookie scale. We already have WR1 and WR2, and need a WR3 that can’t be groomed. Why on earth would we need to spend 30M a year on a WR? Why? SF don’t want to pay him, why would we, when we already have Moore and Allen. This makes zero sense. None at all.
The article suggests that the Bears trade the #9 pick for Aiyuk so the 49ers can get an elite receiver. Why wouldn’t the Bears just use the pick to get that elite receiver instead of trading for a player that even his own team doesn’t feel he is talented even to deserve the money he’s asking for. And the 49ers wouldn’t even have to trade anything to keep him if they wanted to.
He’s good but as of today he’s just not worth a first round pick or $30 million. He’s more like Diontae Johnson good and should probably be around $20 million. The Niners have obviously had some issues with him as well. They’re praying a team will value him remotely close to the level that he values himself at.