If the New York Jets are going to pull off a trade with the San Francisco 49ers for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, they are running out of time.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed on Sunday, March 30, that Aiyuk is due a $22.85 million bonus on Tuesday, April 1.
“Once the 49ers pay that bonus it is expected that Aiyuk would spend the 2025 season in San Francisco,” Schefter said.
That means the window to pull off a potential trade is rapidly closing. At this point, Schefter said the 49ers are not expected to trade Aiyuk, “barring a late deal materializing.”
Gang Green Exploring WR Trade Market
ESPN’s Rich Cimini said on the “Flight Deck” podcast that he expects the Jets to “explore the trade market” at the wide receiver position.
The Jets have arguably the worst group of pass catchers in the NFL, not named Garrett Wilson.
Aiyuk, 27, has four years left on the $120 million contract he signed with the 49ers in August of 2024. The former Arizona State product is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2029.
He originally entered the league as the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Across his five seasons at the NFL level, Aiyuk has appeared in 69 games and has made 67 starts. He has totaled 294 receptions for 4,305 receiving yards and has scored 27 total touchdowns.
However, Aiyuk’s 2024 season was cut short due to a torn ACL and MCL on October 20.
49ers Were Open to an Aiyuk Trade in the Past
“Things are a bit more tenuous, however, between the Niners and their WR1. Sources indicate that the 49ers are open to trading Aiyuk — a terrific player who will certainly be motivated — and there has been communication with several teams,” NFL on FOX Insider Jordan Schultz revealed.
Trying to figure out a trade for a wide receiver coming off a serious injury “is a tall order,” Schultz explained.
However, the Jets could be motivated to strike a deal. Options are limited at wide receiver in free agency, and the 2025 NFL draft class isn’t considered as strong at that position as it has been in years past.
Aiyuk is still young (27) and could provide a legitimate target opposite Wilson in the Jets’ offense. Plus, with him coming off of injury, the Jets could probably get him at an insane discount in terms of the trade compensation they would have to give up.
Dakota Randall of Sports Illustrated floated out the potential price being a “third round pick” with the 49ers eating some of his salary to facilitate the move.
“Before Aiyuk signed his 49ers extension, he reportedly was committed to forcing a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who at the time had [Justin] Fields as their top quarterback while Russell Wilson rehabbed an injury. There isn’t any concrete reporting on whether playing with Fields factored into Aiyuk’s interest in Pittsburgh, but it’s not a stretch to assume he preferred a younger, more mobile quarterback to Wilson, who showed significant decline the previous season,” Randall added.
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