After an offseason of oddities, Brandon Aiyuk has officially requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers. Heading into the final year of his contract, Aiyuk wants to get paid what he’s worth, but so far the 49ers and his agent haven’t been able to agree on his value. Instead of watching him leave in free agency, the 49ers may feel compelled to trade the second-team All-Pro now, despite trying to repeat as the NFC representative in the Super Bowl.
But there are only so many teams who can likely meet San Francisco’s asking price for their ascending receiver. Plus, any team that trades for Aiyuk will just have to sign him to a massive contract extension too, so it’s not just trade compensation they’re parting with. So, which teams could feasibly pull off a trade for the 26-year-old?
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Brandon Aiyuk trade destinations may include Detroit Lions and New York Giants
Shortly after Brandon Aiyuk requested a trade, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks took a look at which teams make the most sense to negotiate a blockbuster deal before the season kicks off. Here are his five selections.
Washington Commanders
Aiyuk has already hinted several times that he’d like to join the Commanders, where he’d reunite with his college quarterback, Jayden Daniels. It doesn’t hurt that new Commanders GM Adam Peters spent the past seven years with San Francisco, where he got a first-hand look at Aiyuk. Plus, the Commanders may be able to present an enticing trade package, possibly even around Jahan Dotson to give the 49ers another receiver with upside.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have a new franchise QB in Drake Maye, but they still don’t have an alpha receiver. Trading for Aiyuk would immediately address arguably their biggest need. The Patriots have several candidates who can fill the WR2 and WR3 role, and adding Aiyuk would allow those players to grow at their own pace instead of facing sky-high expectations.
Pittsburgh Steelers
After revamping their offense, the Steelers are expecting to roll out a high-powered scoring attack. George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth offer solid options for Russell Wilson, but Aiyuk could help take more attention off the Steelers’ existing playmakers. He’s also shown a desire to join Pittsburgh and play for coach Mike Tomlin.
Detroit Lions
This is one of the most interesting picks on Brooks’s list. The Lions have several capable pass-catchers from Amon-Ra St. Brown to Sam LaPorta and a developing Jameson Williams. But you can never have too many receivers capable of winning their 1-on-1 battles, and Aiyuk would be among the top targets in Motown.
New York Giants
The Giants finally landed a WR1 by drafting Malik Nabers. But despite his superstar potential, there’s no guarantee he will become an immediate star. Adding Aiyuk would give Nabers more time to grow while providing Daniel Jones with a player who can offer production right away while taking more attention off Nabers.
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