There has been plenty of speculation about San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk being disgruntled and mulling his future with the team. Aiyuk recently unfollowed the 49ers’ official Instagram account and has been linked to a variety of wide receiver-needy teams.
Aiyuk is in the fourth year of his rookie deal, set to make $14.1 million this year. Despite evidence of his dissatisfaction, he has not yet requested a trade.
San Francisco has made it a habit to get deals with their homegrown talent done, but let’s evaluate some potential trade destinations if Aiyuk demands out.
1. New England Patriots
There have been a few rumors that the Patriots aren’t ready to take a quarterback at No. 3 as the rest of their roster needs tremendous work. However, passing on your future franchise quarterback might not sit well with Robert Kraft. If New England selects one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, Aiyuk can come in and be an above-average safety blanket for a young signal-caller. We saw something similar to this with Adam Thielen supporting Bryce Young in 2023.
2. Washington Commanders
The Commanders are in a similar situation as the Patriots. However, they have a stronger receiving core, so Aiyuk can help the rookie quarterback out even more. The combination of Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Aiyuk could make this a top-10 unit in the NFL.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Especially with the recent legal issues surrounding Rashee Rice, Kansas City needs receiver help. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was replaced by Marquise Brown and the Chiefs still have Travis Kelce, but they need a bonafide WR1. Aiyuk could be it for the Super Bowl winners, especially if Mahomes restructures his contract to help the team win long-term.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have sparked a lot of discussion through the latest Aiyuk trade rumors. Benjamin Allbright posted a text thread on X hinting at the Steelers’ potential pursuit of the talented receiver.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) April 13, 2024
With no true X receiver after the trade of Diontae Johnson to the Panthers, this is another great spot for Aiyuk to come in and be the top pass-catcher on his team. George Pickens can continue to serve as a great No. 2 on the offense and potentially work his way into being the 1B.
5. New Orleans Saints
The Saints are an underrated location for Aiyuk to head if a trade happens. Their depth chart currently features Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. Aiyuk and Olave would immediately make this one of the more difficult one-two punches to defend in the NFL.
Wherever Aiyuk goes, he will immediately improve the team’s current situation. Last year, he earned the second-highest PFF grade among wide receivers (91.5).
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