From an on-field standpoint, the 49ers shouldn't be looking to trade away Brandon Aiyuk. The 25-year-old is coming off his best season to date with 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns for the defending NFC Champions.
However, the salary cap is real. Despite ideas to the contrary, the cap does sometimes force teams to say goodbye to talented players.
With the 49ers already locked into Year 2 of Deebo Samuel's three-year, $71.6 million extension, San Francisco has the daunting task of balancing the budget while figuring out an extension for Aiyuk.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the 49ers would, "like to get Brandon Aiyuk 's contract extended, but he's also a trade candidate if they can't get something done."
While there are certainly instances where teams can't reasonably pay two high-performing players at the same position this really doesn't feel like one of them. Aiyuk is under contract for the 2024 season with his fifth-year option at $14.1 million.
His cap hit would likely be less than that even if he gets a big-money extension, assuming that it will be backloaded with guaranteed money.
That would allow the Niners to keep their receiving duo for two years after which Samuel's contract would be up.
At this point, Aiyuk is younger and has been more productive. This feels more like a negotiation tactic than an actual cap-forced move.
If it's not, Aiyuk will have plenty of suitors. He's proven to be a consistent coverage beater and many teams should be willing to pay him as their No. 1 receiver.
Fits: New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders
Trade Probability Meter: Highly unlikely, barring a massive return.
