Should The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?
The 49ers are expected to exercise the 5th-year option for Brandon Aiyuk. What happens next year when the 49ers have to pay him? Can San Francisco afford to keep Aiyuk long term having already paid Deebo Samuel? Should the 49ers get out in front of it and potentially deal Aiyuk this offseason?
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Let’s be real. Aiyuk doesn’t sniff Deebo. It’s not close. It never has been and never will be. Deebo is elite. Aiyuk has improved to the point where he’s an acceptable number two receiver. He’s never going to put up one of those 1,400 yard plus seasons that Deebo had two years ago. It’s not in the cards for him. He’s not that guy.
Of course, you already know this unless you’re one of those losers that somehow also likes Michael Pittman and Drake London. Guys that are fine… I guess… but never going to blow your socks off. Never going to be one of those guys worth paying in an exploding receiver market.
This isn’t hard. Yes, you trade Aiyuk. Of course, you trade Aiyuk. The Panthers just got the number one pick by moving DJ Moore. The same guy fantasy football players have consistently grown to hate for underperforming. I understand fantasy isn’t real football. The point of this is the fact that those guys are always replaceable.
There is an inefficiency in the market right now. Yes, you need wide receivers to win right now. However, that doesn’t mean you should overpay for players that aren’t elite. If a team wants to fork over a first round pick for one year of Aiyuk, you do that trade every day of the week.
San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch (don’t click behind paywall) interviewed John Lynch recently. Lynch said “a lot of people” have checked in on Aiyuk.
“Brandon’s been excellent for us. I’d be shocked if we didn’t,” Lynch said Monday at the league meetings regarding the fifth-year option decision. “We still have some time … we’re still discussing, but it probably makes sense to do that for Brandon. He’s a really good player. He’s a guy we’re very fortunate to have and he’s just coming into his own, too. He’s only going to get better. So we’re excited about watching Brandon move forward with us.”
What are the offers for Aiyuk and why hasn’t he been moved yet? For a 49ers team that has such a strong roster, you have to know you can’t afford everyone. At this point, Aiyuk given the age and rising production is going to ask for much more than what he’s worth. Given you have one year left on the rookie contract, now is the time to move him. Anything that gets me a first round pick back is a no brainer trade.
