San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been the subject of trade rumors for months on end, but that may finally be coming to a close. A first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Aiyuk has quickly established himself as one of the more dangerous all-around threats in the NFL. Last year, the wideout earned Second-Team All-Pro honors while recording 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Now entering the final year of his rookie contract, the wide receiver has not been quiet about his desire to sign an extension or get traded to a team that will give him some long-term security.
As of this posting, there is no official update on a Brandon Aiyuk trade. However, recent activity by the wide receiver suggests something will happen in the coming days. During a recent practice, Aiyuk (who wasn’t practicing) walked up to General Manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan and shook their hands. You can’t hear what the three are saying, but this interaction is noteworthy considering Aiyuk’s current status.
#49ers Brandon Aiyuk walks onto the field and headed straight to John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan 🤝 pic.twitter.com/JPdTzwDv92
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) July 31, 2024
Previously, the wide receiver called out Lynch for his “bullshit” comments, so this handshake probably wouldn’t happen unless the 49ers are close to a Brandon Aiyuk trade or extension. The Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers are the betting favorites, but the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers could make the most sense.
Brandon Aiyuk Trade: Wideout Possibly Says Goodbye to John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh parted ways with wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams partially because he believed Quentin Johnston could make the Year 2 leap. So far, that hasn’t happened. Training camp practices cannot predict the future, but everything we’ve seen from Johnston suggests he will continue to be a bust. The wide receiver is buried on the depth chart behind the underwhelming trio of second-round pick Ladd McConkey and veterans Joshua Palmer and DJ Chark, and he has a seemingly endless streak of lowlights on social media.
Los Angeles shouldn’t bank on Johnston doing much of anything, which increases the odds of a Brandon Aiyuk trade. Justin Herbert is a phenomenal quarterback, but he cannot do it all by himself. McConkey has potential, and combining him with a legitimate star in Brandon Aiyuk could give this team the required offensive firepower to match up with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Legitimate Weapons For Bryce Young
One way or another, the Carolina Panthers will find out what they have in Bryce Young. The first-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft crashed and burned last year, finishing at or near the bottom of almost every passing statistic. However, you can’t blame him for the underwhelming results when his only reliable option was an over-30 Adam Thielen. While Thielen is coming back for 2024, Carolina added Diontae Johnson via trade and first-round pick Xavier Legette while boosting the offensive line with big-name free agent acquisitions.
Bryce Young has a path to success, but a Brandon Aiyuk trade would dramatically increase his odds of developing into a franchise quarterback. Recently, big-name receivers like Stefon Diggs, A.J. Brown, and Tyreek Hill helped turn their respective young quarterbacks into franchise cornerstones, so perhaps Aiyuk can do the same for Young. Johnson is a reliable receiver, but he’s not on Aiyuk’s level, Legette is untested, and Thielen is not getting any younger.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
