Former NFL GM slides Brandon Aiyuk out of A.J. Brown-esque trade debate
San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk is still without the long-term contract he desperately desires. With little to no movement on talks, a potential trade has been mentioned.
While that's unlikely before the draft, could there be a trade during the first round of the draft on Thursday similar to A.J. Brown when he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles from the Tennessee Titans in 2022?
On "The Pat McAfee Show," NFL analyst Michael Lombardi outlined the difficulty in doing that due to the 49ers not getting the same type of player in return:
"If you trade Aiyuk, say you trade him to the Colts, what receiver are you going to get that's better than Aiyuk at the 12th pick or 15th pick in the draft? You gotta put a name there. You have to put a name that you can say that this guy's better than or equal to (Aiyuk) but we're getting a cheaper contract. I don't think you can say that in this draft."
What does the future hold for Brandon Aiyuk?
With Brandon Aiyuk set to play on his fifth-year option, which per spotrac.com, is $14.1 million, a contract extension is needed. Whether Aiyuk holds out of training camp remains to be seen, but it's clear that if the 49ers want to retain the receiver's services, a price must be paid.
A trade has been mentioned as a possible scenario, but Aiyuk wants to stay in San Francisco. It's a matter of whether or not the 49ers want to keep him at the price he wants.
A trade in the draft, as Lombardi points out, is also likely not an option, as the 49ers aren't going to get a player who is as good or better than Aiyuk ... unless they get a top pick in return, which is unlikely.
Contracts take time, and while things aren't moving in a positive direction, that's not to say that after the draft, things won't move forward.
But right now, Brandon Aiyuk's future in San Francisco is anything but a sure thing.