Teams across the NFL are starting up OTAs, but the San Francisco 49ers are still figuring out what to do with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. He didn’t play a single game last season and has alienated himself from the team.
It looked like the 49ers would cut him outright, but they’ve decided to hold onto him to this point. It’s likely that they’re still holding out hope for a trade. It’s hard to imagine the market is robust for a wide receiver who suffered a major injury the last time we saw him play.
That said, when he last played a full season, he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards. If the asking price is low, there could be a team that is willing to take the risk. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes that the Las Vegas Raiders would be a fit.
“Playing for the Raiders likely wouldn’t mean many wins for Aiyuk, at least in the short-term,” Davenport wrote. “But given the lack of proven talent at the position in Las Vegas, assuming Aiyuk is anywhere close to 100 percent he could ostensibly become the No. 1 wideout for the Raiders in relatively short order.
“And those targets (and the production that emanates from them) probably means more for rehabbing Aiyuk’s stock than winning games.”
Raiders Do Need WR Help
On paper, the Raiders have one of the weakest wide receiver rooms in the NFL. The group is filled with young players and unproven veterans. Las Vegas used the No. 1 pick on the quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but they haven’t given him a great wide receiver room.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes thinks that could be a problem, and at least exploring an Aiyuk trade makes some sense.
“When you think about Mendoza and his skill set and his preference, he throws the ball, those beautiful back-shoulder balls and the outs,” Kimes said on “NFL Live.” “It doesn’t feel to me like there’s a receiver on the roster who really matches up well with that. I understand the offense is going to be a Kubiak offense, very under center, throw over the middle of the field, play-action, all that. So, I would be on the phone and gauge interest.”
Aiyuk Would Be Risky
Trading for Aiyuk isn’t simple. Even if they could get him for a late-round pick swap, there’s still risk involved. He has proven that he’s not afraid to just disappear if he’s unhappy. He doesn’t even seem too worried about losing money.
A young team doesn’t need that kind of distraction in the locker room. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak was on the San Francisco 49ers’ coaching staff when Aiyuk was there, so he should have some kind of relationship with the wide receiver.
He’ll know whether or not he’s a culture fit for what he’s trying to build. If the price is low and the 49ers eat most of the contract, then it could be worth it to make a trade, but the Raiders might be better off seeing what their young players can do this season.
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