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While San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t requested a trade, “he doesn’t need to” as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on Monday.
This all came on the heels of a trade request rumor surfacing over the weekend before Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, shut it down. Florio called the rumor “strange but increasingly common kerfuffle” in the modern NFL on social media.
Instead, Aiyuk’s actions on social media say more than the writer whom Williams specifically called out on X, formerly Twitter. Aiyuk turned heads on April 12 when he unfollowed the 49ers on Instagram — a move that’s common before a trade.
“With Aiyuk unfollowing the 49ers on social media, any team that has any interest in Aiyuk has reason to call the 49ers,” Florio wrote.
“Several weeks ago, such calls were met [we’re told] with a response that Aiyuk isn’t available,” Florio added. “At this point, with the draft 10 days ago and the situation still unresolved, why not make the call again?”
Aiyuk has been persistent about landing a new contract ever since the Super Bowl ended. Both sides are “not close” in negotiations either according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on March 30.
The 49ers have a fifth-year option for Aiyuk worth $14.12 million, but that’s much less than his Spotrac market value of $24 million per year. Aiyuk will become a free agent in 2025 if he doesn’t sign a new deal this year.
“The biggest challenge for the 49ers and Aiyuk will be setting his number. He presumably [and justifiably] will want the same deal the 49ers gave to receiver Deebo Samuel, at a minimum,” Florio wrote.
Samuel made similar offseason waves with the 49ers in 2022 before he signed a three-year, $71.55 million deal. He even unfollowed the 49ers on Instagram before the deal that year.
49ers-Brandon Aiyuk Trade Talk ‘Might Be Happening’
Florio pointed out that the 49ers could be eyeing a trade as an option for Aiyuk if a deal can’t be done.
“There’s also reason to believe that, even though Aiyuk hasn’t requested a trade, conversations might be happening to determine whether other team[s] are interested in making a deal — with the knowledge and approval of the 49ers,” Florio wrote. “That could be useful to the 49ers. It could give both sides useful information as to what his market might be.”
“It makes sense for the 49ers to figure this out now. Pay Aiyuk or trade him to someone who will, and get 2024 draft-pick compensation for him,” Florio added.
49ers Have 1 ‘Best-Case Scenario’ With a Brandon Aiyuk Trade
If the 49ers trade Aiyuk, it will take a significant draft capital as Florio sees it.
“The best-case scenario is that they’d flip Aiyuk for a rookie who ends up being pretty good, too. And then they’ll have to pay him, or trade him and do it all over again,” Florio wrote.
San Francisco could get another first round pick for Aiyuk, but that would realistically fall in the bottom half of the round. Top receivers such as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers look out of reach, but the 49ers could land Rome Odunze or Brian Thomas Jr.
Whether or not either receiver could make up for Aiyuk’s absence remains the question. Aiyuk had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with 75 or more catches and seven or more touchdowns.
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