Sunday marked the start of the Annual League Meeting, and it didn’t take long for the Brandon Aiyuk trade drama to start surfacing. Following the best season of his career, it appears as though player and team are headed towards an ugly divorce. Aiyuk is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and the San Francisco 49ers do not have that much salary cap space.
Even looking beyond the financial reasons for a potential Brandon Aiyuk trade, it’s clear that the wide receiver doesn’t want to be there. His girlfriend and best friend both alluded to a departure, and Aiyuk himself did nothing to slow down rumors of a potential deal.
Despite all this, 49ers general manager John Lynch refuses to partake in the Brandon Aiyuk trade discourse. Speaking to reporters, Lynch said that he has not discussed sending away his star receiver. Aiyuk seemingly responded to this with a series of emojis shown in the below tweet.
#49ers GM John Lynch spoke about Brandon Aiyuk earlier today….
Seems like Aiyuk is responding on his IG story… pic.twitter.com/Zq4gqshXmo
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 25, 2024
Brandon Aiyuk, John Lynch Batting Over Trade Rumors
For those out there less versed in emoji’s, Aiyuk’s response says “money talks, bullshit walks.” Lynch stated that the team is essentially forcing the wide receiver to play out the fifth year of his rookie contract. Lynch claims that the 49ers have not discussed a Brandon Aiyuk trade, and while he mentioned that the team is trying to work out an extension, talks to not appear to have gotten very far.
Aiyuk, understandably, is not happy with this. After recording 1,300 receiving yards in a run-heavy offense with plenty of talented pass-catchers, the former first-round pick believes that he deserves a major raise. In a game as violent as football, every player is one snap away from a career-threatening injury, so nobody should blame the wide receiver for wanting to cash in while his value is high. If the 49ers won’t pay Brandon Aiyuk, then he has every right to ask for a trade.
Of course, there is a chance that Lynch is just trying to maximize the return of a Brandon Aiyuk trade. At the end of the day, the 49ers can’t afford to keep Aiyuk, and the receiver doesn’t want to be there. Rather than letting him walk for nothing, San Francisco should maximize their return and send the receiver to any one of the needy teams out there.
Possible Team Fits
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are entering a rebuild, which means their primary goal in 2024 should be making sure they land a franchise quarterback. While Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye will ultimately be responsible for their own success, the Patriots have not put their next passer in the best position to succeed. Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, and Hunter Henry are all nothing more than role players, and this team needs a star player to help their young quarterback. Brandon Aiyuk is the perfect choice for the job, and the Patriots should have the draft capital to make a trade work.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have done a good job so far of making life easier for Bryce Young. Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis add some much-needed support to the interior offensive line, and Diontae Johnson’s ability to quickly get open is exactly what this offense needed. However, Johnson’s no superstar, and Brandon Aiyuk could bring a completely different dimension to this offense if acquired in a trade. If Young still can’t succeed with this type of supporting cast, then the Panthers will need to begin their quarterback search anew in 2025.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell Wilson can still be an effective quarterback in the right environment, but he’s no longer capable of elevating a subpar group of playmakers. While George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth both offer a decent amount of promise, this team needs a true star if they want to compete with the elite offenses of the AFC. A Brandon Aiyuk trade could bring the offensive firepower this team so desperately needs to go on their first deep playoff run since 2017.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs solved their short-term need at wide receiver with the Marquise Brown signing, but they still need a long-term answer. Rashee Rice looks like a foundational building block, but it’s time to give up on Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney. With Travis Kelce still having some juice in his tank, the Chiefs could trade for Brandon Aiyuk and create an offense that could easily win a third Lombardi in as many years.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have the worst group of wide receivers in the NFL by a comfortable margin. The duo of Quentin Johnston and Josh Palmer are worse than some collegiate pairings, and even a great quarterback like Justin Herbert will struggle to succeed in this environment. A Brandon Aiyuk trade would fix this issue, and the Chargers should have the draft capital to make this work if they trade back from the fifth-overall pick.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
