The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk have been deadlocked in contract negotiations for months. The longest-running soap opera of the NFL offseason, though, may be nearing an end as rumors swirl that the Pittsburgh Steelers have a deal in place with the disgruntled wide receiver and are only waiting for the 49ers to accept their trade offer.
Of course, Aiyuk, if he had it his way, would sign an extension to remain with San Francisco. As of this writing, however, the 49ers have not budged on their offer of a $26 million a year offer.
With the Steelers as the only team that is known to still have interest in Aiyuk, the other trade rumors surrounding the Second Team All-Pro have died down. However, one NFL analyst proposed a trade that would send Aiyuk across the country to help solve another holdout situation.
NFL Analyst Suggests the San Francisco 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk to the New York Jets to Play with Aaron Rodgers
As many fans are aware, New York Jets linebacker Haason Reddick has demanded a trade due to not receiving what he feels is a suitable contract extension offer from the team after they acquired him from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this offseason.
In a recent article posted on Bleacher Report, Khristopher Knox suggests that the two teams swap disgruntled superstars:
Cardinals Receive: Edge Haason Reddick, 2025 Second-Round Pick, WR Malachi Corley
Jets Receive: WR Brandon Aiyuk
Obviously, the logic behind this deal is that both Aiyuk and Reddick would go to teams that could potentially pay them what they want. It would also give Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers another stud wide receiver to throw to, along with Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams.
Reddick, for his part, would join one of the best defenses in the NFL. The 49ers already boast All-Pro pass rusher Nick Bosa and Super Bowl Champion Leonard Floyd. Adding Reddick would certainly make their pass rush even more formidable.
Is Pairing San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk with Aaron Rodgers a Reasonable Idea?
As fun as the idea might be of pairing Aiyuk with Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP and future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, it does not seem like this trade scenario is realistic.
As mentioned, there is only one other team left that has expressed interest in the disgruntled wide receiver, and that’s the Pittsburgh Steelers. As far as the public knows, the Jets have never looked into trading for Aiyuk.
There is also the notion that Aiyuk has already turned down two teams who have approached him with contract offers: the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns.
The simple fact of the matter is that San Francisco has botched this situation with Aiyuk to the point where he can essentially control the process. And if they were to send him to the Jets for Reddick, they would have to start negotiations all over again with a different disgruntled star.
And the regular season is less than a month away.
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