San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is not a happy camper, and it appears the former first-round pick is looking for a trade. Aiyuk is coming off a phenomenal season, hauling in 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 105 targets while earning Second-Team All-Pro honors.
Unfortunately, this success did not carry into the Super Bowl. The wideout recorded just three receptions for 49 yards as the team struggled to consistently move the ball throughout the contest. This as much as anything could have been the straw that broke the camel’s back with the Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors.
Don’t take my word for it though, just listen to the people closest to Aiyuk. It all started when Aiyuk’s girlfriend posted a video saying that this might be the last day she and Aiyuk touch foot at Levi Stadium because they don’t plan on being there next season.
BA gone 💔 pic.twitter.com/XN2FV3CgUj
— Dev 🥷🏽 (@NinerDev) February 13, 2024
This was just the beginning, as Aiyuk’s best friend quickly joined in on the fun. Taking to Instagram, the friend posted multiple stories saying “this is the exact reason why we leaving San Francisco.” When asked to comment on the situation, Brandon Aiyuk didn’t do too much to slow down trade rumors.
𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Brandon Aiyuk was asked about his social media posts and if he wants to stay with the team 👀
(h/t @mattblively)pic.twitter.com/pC0CdE924a https://t.co/8o8s8kVU2n
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 13, 2024
Cryptic Social Media Posts Heavily Suggest A Brandon Aiyuk Trade Is Imminent
Even if a trade never comes, it’s safe to say that Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers don’t exactly see eye to eye right now. Perhaps a contract extension can make this water under the bridge, but it’s a little concerning that he said he only wants to remain with the 49ers “if that’s the right move.”
This isn’t exactly a glowing endorsement for the franchise, and there is a chance the team decides to part ways if throwing a bunch of money at him doesn’t solve the issue. Even though Brandon Aiyuk is entering the final year of his deal, just about every team in the league would be willing to give up an important asset for his services. In today’s day and age, there is no such thing as too many reliable pass-catchers, and Aiyuk’s elite route running and ability after the catch makes him a highly-coveted asset.
Every team in the league would love to have Brandon Aiyuk, but these five make the most sense as potential trade destinations.
Top Team Fits
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers need to move heaven and earth to get a real wide receiver. Bryce Young may or may not have what it takes to be a franchise quarterback, but he’ll never succeed in this current environment. Brandon Aiyuk would easily be the best receiver on this team, and while the Panthers don’t have a first-round pick to trade, perhaps they could send Brian Burns over to the 49ers. After all, the team will probably not re-sign Chase Young, so they could use another pass rusher.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are in a tough situation. Stefon Diggs is not getting any younger, and there isn’t another proven receiver on this depth chart. Khalil Shakir is a fine depth player and Dalton Kincaid showed some promise, but this team needs a proven receiver. A Brandon Aiyuk trade would immediately give Josh Allen all the firepower he needs to finally overtake the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC and hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens finally gave Lamar Jackson a real weapon in Zay Flowers, and he responded by winning the MVP. With Odell Beckham set to hit free agency, Baltimore should try to bring in another reliable wide receiver. Brandon Aiyuk is a perfect choice for the job, as this trade could give the Ravens one of the better wide receiver duos in football. If Flowers improves on his promising rookie season, then this could be an unstoppable passing attack.
New York Giants
Daniel Jones is not the type of quarterback who can carry an entire team on his own. The New York Giants have never truly provided him with a game-breaking talent at wide receiver, so it’s about time the former first-round pick had someone who can truly get open and make plays on his own. For better or worse, this team is stuck with Jones for at least one more season, so they might as well trade for Brandon Aiyuk and see if they can get back to the playoffs.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl without a real threat at wide receiver, so they don’t need to trade for Brandon Aiyuk. However, they won because their defense held opponents to under 25 points in an NFL-record 20 of a possible 21 games, and they had the most postseason win probability added via luck of any team since 2018. These sorts of things are not consistent on a year-to-year basis, so they’ll need to get better on offense if they want to win three Super Bowls in a row. The only question is if the 49ers would ever trade Aiyuk to the team that just cost them a Super Bowl.
Main Photo: Kyle Terada – USA Today Sports
