San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is debatably the biggest name on the trade block. After spending the past four years establishing himself as one of the best in the game, the former first-round pick wants a new contract before the start of the 2024 season. While most players keep contract discussions close to the vest, Aiyuk has not shied away from voicing his frustrations with San Francisco.
The 2024 NFL Draft is just days away, and Brandon Aiyuk recently implied that a trade could happen during the first round. Taking to Instagram, the wide receiver said that there would be “fireworks” in six days which, at the time of the original post, aligned with the start of the draft.
BRANDON AIYUK ON IG…
FIREWORKS IN 6 DAYS = DRAFT NIGHT
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 19, 2024
Brandon Aiyuk Hints At NFL Draft Trade: “Fireworks” Coming On Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk does not want to be in San Francisco, and the 49ers have every reason to trade him. While he is still under contract for one more season, the team won’t be able to hand out the long-term deal he desires. Thanks in large part to the Trey Lance trade, San Francisco lacks cheap, cost-controlled talent and the cap space that comes with multiple cost-effective starters.
With Aiyuk and quarterback Brock Purdy both needing extensions around the same time, the 49ers will need to let one of these players go. Purdy is a franchise quarterback, so Brandon Aiyuk is the easy choice for a trade. The only difficult part of this equation is determining who will acquire the Arizona State product.
Possible Destinations
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the current frontrunners in the Brandon Aiyuk trade sweepstakes, and it’s easy to see why. With Russell Wilson penciled in as the starting quarterback, Mike Tomlin believes he can compete with improved quarterback play. Now that Diontae Johnson is in Carolina, the Steelers need to find a reliable starter opposite George Pickens. Aiyuk would easily be Pittsburgh’s best wide receiver since the Antonio Brown days and could power this team to a deep playoff run.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley to the Tennessee Titans and must find someone who can help Trevor Lawrence. While the team spent decent money on Gabe Davis, this team needs a Brandon Aiyuk trade. With C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans loading up in the offseason, Jacksonville must do something to keep pace with the reigning AFC South champions.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers will not trade the fifth-overall pick for Brandon Aiyuk. However, if they trade back, they could use one first-round pick on an offensive tackle and use another to get the veteran wideout. Justin Herbert desperately needs a reliable receiver, and Aiyuk is a perfect fit for a run-heavy offense with plenty of play action.
Kansas City Chiefs
With or without Rashee Rice, the Kansas City Chiefs should consider a Brandon Aiyuk trade. Kansas City has yet to find a proper replacement for Tyreek Hill, and while Aiyuk is a different type of player, he’d easily be the best receiver on this roster. Nobody would be able to cover Aiyuk, Rice, Travis Kelce, and Marquise Brown, and adding Patrick Mahomes to the mix is just unfair.
Baltimore Ravens
Odell Beckham is not coming back, which means the Ravens will add a wide receiver to their ever-growing list of team needs. Lamar Jackson won MVP in large part because he finally had two reliable wideouts in the passing game. Brandon Aiyuk is significantly better than the present-day version of Odell Beckham and might be exactly what the Ravens need to finally get over the postseason hump.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – USA Today Sports
