Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers remain at an impasse in contract talks, but the team could get a “best offer” from one proposed trade suitor.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport suggests that the 49ers trade Aiyuk and a fourth round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the No. 20 pick and third-round in the draft. The Steelers have been linked to Aiyuk before, and the 49ers have little salary cap space to give Aiyuk a fifth year option or an extension.
“Aiyuk is a better and more proven option than anyone who will be on the board when pick No. 20 rolls around,” Davenport wrote. “He and George Pickens would be a formidable duo at the position.
“Where this hypothetical exercise is concerned at least, offering that 20th overall pick would be the best offer the 49ers have received,” Davenport added. “Throw in a late third [for a Day 3 pick in return], and it’s an offer Niners general manager John Lynch would have to give some serious consideration to.”
John Lynch Maintains No Trade Plans for Brandon Aiyuk but Cash is Lacking
Lynch previously said there’s no plans to trade Aiyuk, but the contract stalemate would leave Aiyuk off the field come training camp with no compensation in trading him. Meanwhile, Aiyuk said he wants to get paid what he’s worth when he visited “The Night Cap” podcast last week.
Aiyuk is due a fifth-year option of $14.12 million, or he could command a $24 million or four-year, $96 million deal on the open market. The 49ers have $6.77 million in cap space at the moment.
A Look at Other Brandon Aiyuk Trade Proposals
Other potential trade proposed suitors by Davenport include the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, and the Washington Commanders. None of those teams could offer a pick higher than No. 20 in Davenport’s trade projections, and most could only offer a second-round pick at the highest.
Arizona could offer the No. 27 pick and fifth round pick, but as Davenport noted, trades within a division usually don’t happen. Buffalo has urgent need of a star wideout after trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, but the Bills have the No. 28 pick and could throw in a fourth-round pick for jus Aiyuk.
Los Angeles could send a little extra draft capital with the No. 37 pick, a fourth rounder, and a conditional 2025 day two pick. If Aiyuk keeps going strong in L.A., the 49ers get an extra pick, which could help alleviate the loss.
New England likewise could offer a conditional second round pick for 2025 plus the No. 34 pick and a fourth-round pick this year. While the Patriots also have the No. 3 pick, Davenport considers that “off the table” for the 49ers.
As for the Commanders, the 49ers could get wide receiver Jahan Dotson out of the deal. Davenport proposes that the Commanders could send the No. 36 pick, third round pick, and Dotson to San Francisco for Aiyuk and a sixth round pick.
Washington also has the No. 2 pick, but Davenport considers that “too tall an ask” for the 49ers with Aiyuk. Dotson, however, showed promise in two years with the Commanders amid 84 catches for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns.
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