Getty The New York Jets could make a blockbuster trade for All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk.
While the New York Jets prepare for training camp, a Bleacher Report trade proposal would send the franchise a top-tier receiver, All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.
B/R’s Alex Kay proposed a handful of deals, and the one he made for Jets could be worthwhile to both teams.
Jets receive: WR Brandon Aiyuk
49ers receive: 2025 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick
“The Jets would likely need to offer up their top two selections in the 2025 draft to land Aiyuk, but the returns could be immense,” Kay wrote in his June 11 story. “It’s just the kind of move that a franchise suffering through the longest active streak of seasons without a playoff berth in major American sports needs to become relevant again.”
Aiyuk would give the Jets a dangerous one-two punch at receiver. Not only would it give Garrett Wilson some more breathing room, but it also would give Aaron Rodgers another established weapon to throw to.
Latest on Brandon Aiyuk Trade Rumors
All eyes are on Aiyuk and the 49ers.
Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie deal, making him a free agent in 2025. He’ll be playing on his fifth-year option this season but has not reported to mandatory minicamp as he holds out for a new deal.
The 49ers are actively working on an extension, according to The San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver, who wrote that the team’s latest offer is in the $26 million per year range. That would put Aiyuk on a similar pay scale with players like DeVonta Smith and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Despite the offer, Aiyuk has yet to agree to an extension. The former first-round pick could believe that he’s worth more after being a second-team All-Pro in 2023. He finished the season with 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
49ers general manager John Lynch shot down the possibility of trading Aiyuk back in April. However, as the team gets closer to training camp, things could change quickly if the two sides can’t get a deal done.
The Jets May Not Need Another Receiver
Even if acquiring Aiyuk is a possibility, the Jets may not need another receiver.
Wilson has already established himself as a top NFL receiver. In two NFL seasons, he’s already logged 178 catches for 2,145 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, and looks to keep getting better.
The Jets also acquired a pair of new receivers this offseason. General manager Joe Douglas signed veteran Mike Williams to a one-year, $15 million this offseason. While he’s returning from a torn ACL, Williams had some very productive seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Douglas also added another wideout in the 2024 NFL draft. Malachi Corley was a productive weapon for Western Kentucky, and the Jets took a chance on him in the third round. Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh were so excited that the Jets shared a text exchange between the two calling their shot before drafting him.
Those three could turn into one of the more exciting receiver trios in the league with Rodgers throwing the ball. Another weapon like Aiyuk could be exciting, but the Jets would need to be willing to go all-in and offer him a long-term contract extension to get a deal done.