2024 NFL Draft Rumors: 49ers land Brandon Aiyuk's replacement in 14-touchdown WR
Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers are not in the best mood currently, with the two sides in the middle of a contract dispute and the wide receiver not happy with how the team is handling the discussions. While there's no indication that a trade is coming, there's no 100% certainty that he'll play for the team in 2024.
The NFL Draft is one week away, and the new Peter Schrager mock draft has the 49ers taking a possible replacement for Aiyuk in case things don't go well with the franchise. The analyst pencils Ladd McConkey, the wide receiver from Georgia, as their first-round pick:
I've spoken to a lot of people over the past few months, and I'm not sure there is a single prospect who's as universally liked and respected as Ladd. Tough, smart, selfless. San Francisco seems like a perfect home.
Brandon Aiyuk vs. 49ers: Should fans be concerned?
When you look at the salary cap situation of the team, it's understandable why they're wary of making any long-term commitment to Aiyuk. The San Francisco 49ers are $15 million over the 2025 cap, and there's no guarantee that the wide receiver would accept his contract to be backloaded.
We have seen plenty of wide receiver trades in the last two years and the reason is simple: you either pay your quarterback or your wide receiver. It's no surprise that names like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown got moved in 2022: you don't want to use such a huge portion of the cap for two players alone.
So, yes, fans should be concerned. Brandon Aiyuk ascended to the condition of number one receiver on the team, making plays with his speed, agility and underrated route-running.
Losing him would be a massive problem, especially because Deebo Samuel isn't as good as he is and wouldn't be able to handle WR1 duties. There's no guarantee that a trade is coming, but the lack of an extension at this point isn't a great sign as well. At the end of the day, the only available thing to do is to wait.