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The San Francisco 49ers could look for a Brandon Aiyuk replacement, and recent history suggests a Denver Broncos WR.
Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s the latest in a brutal run of injuries for San Francisco, but their only option is to move forward. If they want to find a replacement for this season, Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton is a name they’ve already been monitoring.
Mile High Sports writer Rich Kurtzman made the case for Sutton, stating that move is as good as any at this stage in the season.
“For the 49ers, trading for Sutton makes sense,” Kurtzman wrote on October 22. “They need receivers badly, especially ones who can use their big frame to box out defenders and protect Brock Purdy from throwing costly interceptions. Jauan Jennings has played a bit of that role for the team this year, but he missed last week with, you guessed it, an injury.”
Considering that Jennings and fellow WR Deebo Samuel are less than 100%, a move for Sutton seems like a natural move. However, San Francisco only has about two weeks to make the move before the NFL trade deadline ends on November 5.
Sutton Stands Out with Broncos
First things first: Sutton’s injury history is pretty decent. While he did tore his ACL in 2020, he has missed just three games in his career outside of that season. Further, Sutton is a proven WR who could at least provide cover for Aiyuk.
Sutton broke out during the 2019 season with 72 receptions, 1112 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The former 2nd-round pick has not replicated those numbers over the past few years with the Broncos, but has been impressively consistent in the years since his 2020 injury.
The SMU alum has totaled 772 receiving yards or better in each of the past three years. He also has averaged 13.2 yards per reception over that span.
But while the stats are solid, the contract numbers might be too much for the 49ers. The 29-year-old will only count as a $7.86 million cap hit in 2024 per Spotrac, but his cap hit jumps to $20.18 million in 2025.
49ers Failed to Trade for Sutton Earlier in Year
Sutton’s jump in pay didn’t scare off San Francisco earlier in the year, albeit they were planning on life without Aiyuk. As The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini reported in late August, the 49ers were ready to trade Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers and pick up Sutton in the process.
“The 49ers only were willing to trade Brandon Aiyuk if they could get a top-flight WR to replace him,” Russini wrote on X. “They offered a third-round pick to Denver for Courtland Sutton, and then would’ve dealt Aiyuk to the Steelers, but the Broncos declined the offer. So, he stays in SF.”
Aiyuk ended up signing a four-year, $120 million deal not long after. With that contract on the books, adding Sutton’s deal into the mix could be difficult. But if the Niners want to revitalize their offense and potentially save the season, they may have to consider that type of move.
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