The San Francisco 49ers are in the midst of intense contract extension talks with All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Since their season ended in a Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Aiyuk has made it clear that he does not want to play for the 49ers without a new contract. At this point, it is fairly well-known that he wants a deal that will pay him $30 million a year and that San Francisco has balked at paying him that much.
The $30 million annual figure is what the Detroit Lions gave Amon-Ra St. Brown earlier this offseason. Aiyuk must believe that his production and talent level are equal to those of St. Brown, though their numbers tell a slightly different story:
| Brandon Aiyuk | Amon-Ra St. Brown | |
| Receptions | 269 | 315 |
| Receiving Yards | 3,931 | 3,588 |
| Touchdowns | 25 | 21 |
One may recall that Aiyuk was drafted the year before St. Brown. The Lions wide receiver has much better career averages than him.
This does not mean, though, that there are not teams out there that would be willing to pay the disgruntled 49ers All-Pro what he wants. It simply means that San Francisco is not one of them [yet].
5 NFL Teams Were Willing to Trade for San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk
As mentioned, the situation between Aiyuk and the 49ers started immediately after they lost the Super Bowl. In the weeks leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, many believed San Francisco would trade him for picks. However, no deal came.
It was not because teams were not interested, though. In a Friday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL insider Mike Florio revealed that five different teams were willing to trade for Aiyuk, and give him the extension he wanted:
“I’m told that there were five teams during the draft that were willing to give Brandon Aiyuk the money he wanted but they couldn’t work out a deal..
We’ve seen that you’ve gotta be the squeaky wheel to get paid by the 49ers” @ProFootballTalk #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/egppNc99xJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 19, 2024
“I’m told that there were five teams during the draft that were willing to give Brandon Aiyuk the money he wanted but they couldn’t work out a deal,” Florio said. “We’ve seen that you’ve gotta be the squeaky wheel to get paid by the 49ers.”
Will the San Francisco 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?
As training camp begins, the major question is whether or not the 49ers will honor Aiyuk’s request to be traded, or will the two sides come to an agreement.
On the one hand, Aiyuk is an incredible wide receiver and makes the offense better. On the other hand, San Francisco is not exactly hurting for offensive weapons. If their All-Pro wide receiver holds out, they have another one in Deebo Samuel. Additionally, they also boast All-Pro’s George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
The fact of the matter, too, is that the 49ers cannot pay everyone. With so many talented players, the front office needs to prioritize which ones will get paid and which ones will be allowed to leave in free agency.
It certainly seems like they have made up their mind on which one Aiyuk will be.
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