Brandon Aiyuk came to the Bay Area as the 25th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Since then, he has led the team in receiving yards (3931 yards), receptions (269 catches) and receiving touchdowns (25 TDs). The 2023-2024 season was a career-best for the wideout from Arizona State. Aiyuk ranked seventh in receiving yards, third in receptions of 20 yards or more, and averaged just under 18 yards per reception. For his work across 16 games, Aiyuk was named to the NFL’s All-Pro Second Team. Yet, instead of focusing on what could very well be another career season, all eyes have turned to the wideouts’ contract. With $14.1 million owed to Aiyuk for the coming season, he has sat out of the entire preseason in the hopes of securing a new deal.
With money talks in full swing, the speculation on Aiyuk’s future has spanned a wide spectrum of theories. Will he resign? Will he be traded? It all boils down to the question: Should He Stay or Should He Go?
Arguing Brandon Aiyuk: Should He Stay or Should He Go
Brandon Aiyuk Should Stay
Pair Up with Purdy
While Aiyuk has dominated the discourse surrounding this team for the past few months, another story looms in the distance. Brock Purdy just put together a dominant season that had him ranked first in yards per attempt, QBR, and Passer Rating. He was also in the top five for total passing yards, passing touchdowns, and completion percentage. While there is still plenty of debate among fans about the validity of Purdy’s statistics due to the immense talent around him, one thing remains, he is about to get paid.
If the team is going to invest in Purdy, they should look to secure a high-caliber receiver also. Even more, Aiyuk’s age places him firmly in line with the Brock Purdy “timeline”. If both players receive extensions they will look to play a majority of Aiyuk’s prime together.
Couple this with the fact that other key pieces could be exiting their peak years. Kittle will be 31 this October and his physical brand of football could see him decline sooner rather than later. McCaffery has missed large chunks of time in the past for injuries and is currently dealing with a hamstring injury. As a high-usage running back, the dreaded “cliff” is always in the back of teams’ minds. Outside of his stellar 2021 season, health has eluded Deebo Samuel as he has missed multiple games in every year of his career. Samuel’s name has popped up in various trade speculations recently and is something to keep an eye out for.
If San Francisco is looking to jumpstart a new era offensively, even if it is a few years down the road, securing Brandon Aiyuk will give Purdy a proven and trusted weapon even as other players are phased out.
Contracts at the Buzzer are Par for the Course
One thing that people seem to forget is how close to the wire the 49ers have played during contract negotiations for numerous star players. In 2020 George Kittle didn’t sign his deal till August 13th. Deebo Samuel put together a similar and very public campaign in the 2022 offseason where he demanded a trade. Ultimately, a deal got done on July 31st. Most recently Nick Bosa held out up until the start of the regular season. Bosa did not lock in a deal till early September. If history is any precedent, this timeline is not out of the ordinary for San Francisco’s negotiation tactics.
The Window is Open…Double Down
At the end of the day, this discussion boils down to one thing – a Super Bowl. San Francisco has been on the cusp of hoisting the Lombardi for years now. Four out of the last five seasons have seen the team reach the NFC Championship Game. Twice they have fallen to Kansas City in the Super Bowl.
Entering the 2024-2025 season without Aiyuk should still have the 49ers as a contender. With Aiyuk they are likely one of the favorites to be the last team standing. To assume that the 49ers can simply allow high-caliber talent to leave the building and that they will be able to easily replace them is risky. Injuries, failed draft picks, the salary cap and more are all unpredictable parts of football that can ruin even the most talented teams.
If paying Aiyuk keeps San Francisco in the hunt right now then that is what they should be prioritizing. The salary cap can be corrected, but there is no guarantee the team will be this close to a Super Bowl again.
Brandon Aiyuk 2023 Cut-Ups
I do not really understand how salary caps work, but I would do everything in my power to keep this guy in the building. pic.twitter.com/LOO7Y3Eexe
— Mike Vannucci (@WRCoachVannucci) February 16, 2024
The Verdict
Getting rid of Aiyuk does have some advantages. It allows for future flexibility and will allow other players to shine in the 49ers elite offensive schemes. Yet, winning is the ultimate goal. Having an abundance of riches on offense should be maximized to the fullest extent. Salary cap casualties are on the horizon for this team. The unfortunate truth about football is that players get hurt, they get old or they just get too expensive. Brandon Aiyuk could very well fall into one of these categories down the line. But right now he puts San Francisco into a rarified tier of contending teams while also being the perfect complementary piece to continue to grow alongside Brock Purdy. San Francisco will get a deal done and make a run at the trophy they have been chasing since Steve Young retired!
Main Photo: [Kirby Lee] – USA Today Sports
