Teams seeking a playmaking veteran wide receiver aren’t left with many options in free agency, and the trade market doesn’t look much better. Few proven options remain, but one player who could be available is Brandon Aiyuk, as the San Francisco 49ers aim to get ahead of potential salary cap issues later.
Right now the 49ers have an estimated $10 million in cap space, but that’s before signing a rookie draft class which typically costs somewhere around $6 million. That’a fine territory to be in, and not necessarily problematic.
The real issues arise in 2025 when the 49ers are projected to start the offseason with a negative $22 million in cap space. Keep in mind, this is before signing someone like Brock Purdy to an expensive contract extension, who’s just a year away from playing on an expiring deal.
Obviously the 49ers will prioritize keeping their star quarterback over complementary pieces such as Brandon Aiyuk, if it came down to it. This is why many are suggesting that an Aiyuk trade may be inevitable, simply to keep costs in order.
We’ve already heard of one trade offer, where the 49ers reportedly offered Aiyuk to the Jacksonville Jaguars for Zay Jones and the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Jaguars declined, but the possibility of another Aiyuk trade remains, and if a first-round pick is the price, it’s possible we won’t see a trade consummated until draft day, much like the A.J. Brown deal in 2022.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, an Aiyuk draft day trade is the most likely scenario if the 49ers move on from their star receiver.
“So let’s say, for argument’s sake, the Niners trade Aiyuk to the Jaguars for the 17th pick, and then take Texas’s Adonai Mitchell there (I’m assuming the first three receivers will be gone by then). Does having Mitchell on a rookie contract with all those other players on board stop the Niners from making the Super Bowl next year? Of course not. Which is why, I think, something like that could happen.”
NFL insider Albert Breer on possible Brandon Aiyuk trade
If traded, Aiyuk would likely quickly sign an extension with his new team. Right now, he’s set to have a cap hit of $14 million in 2024, in the final year of his rookie contract. But any team that lands him will want to ensure they get the 26-year-old for more than just one season.
Breer brings up a good point. Right now, it’s hard for the 49ers to commit to parting with Aiyuk. But once they know who’s available at specific draft slots, moving on from the second-team All-Pro may be much easier. Whether San Francisco will be able to find an ideal draft partner with the clock ticking could be more difficult. Yet, with so many teams in need of a receiver, it’s possible someone like Pittsburgh, Dallas, Tampa Bay, or Buffalo will step up with an offer too good to refuse.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft: Vikings land QB, first-round projections after first NFL free agency wave