Tag: Brandon Aiyuk

Brandon Aiyuk’s camp publicly refutes another trade rumor

Another Brandon Aiyuk trade rumor shot down by Aiyuk’s agent.

Another Brandon Aiyuk trade rumor has been publicly denied by the wide receiver’s agent. After an author at a website that covers the Pittsburgh Steelers reported that a person inside the Steelers building would be shocked if the team didn’t trade for Aiyuk, Aiyuk’s agent Ryan Williams took to the internet to dispute the report.

“Another ‘report’ that couldn’t be more incorrect,” Williams wrote on Twitter. “Fictional ‘journalism’ should really stop.”

It’s interesting that Williams is coming out publicly and doing this. Another random Twitter user ‘reported’ that an Aiyuk trade was in the works and Williams shot that one down too.

Perhaps he’s just looking out for his client. Maybe he’s just really anti-false reporting. Conventional wisdom says trade rumors muddying the waters might help a player in negotiations. Granted, a team knows what clubs are and are not calling so it’s hard to imagine San Francisco getting scared off by a rumor involving them.

Still, this may be a matter of the 49ers and Aiyuk’s camp being on good terms heading into negotiations on a long-term extension. Aiyuk is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract in 2024.

Trade rumors swirling may be perceived by the 49ers as Aiyuk’s camp trying to leak information to help them in those negotiations. By publicly denying the rumors Williams removes himself from being the possible culprit behind the reports.

Ultimately for 49ers fans worried Aiyuk may get dealt, seeing his agent deny even flimsy report from smaller-profile reporters has to be good news.

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What would Steelers have to give up in trade for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk?

What would the Steelers have to give up for a player of Aiyuk’s caliber? 

A Brandon Aiyuk trade has been the hottest topic tied to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason.

The disgruntled wide receiver unfollowed the San Fransisco 49ers on social media this week, a clear sign that ongoing negotiations for a long-term contract are not going well.

For a player, deleting association with a team is akin to changing relationship status to single and removing all photo evidence of your significant other and it does often lead to a parting of ways.

Mandatory minicamp doesn’t start until June, but the Steelers and their fans certainly hope the courtship doesn’t last that long.

What would Pittsburgh have to give up for Aiyuk?

“I think what would be more likely is the Steelers giving up a future No. 2 choice and also swapping first-round picks,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac wrote in his April 17 Q&A.

It may sound like a lot, but the Steelers need a top-tier veteran after trading their own in a March to the Carolina Panthers. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Pittsburgh uses a first- or second-round pick on a receiver in the NFL draft, so swapping and giving up one for a proven player is worth it. A rookie is an unknown commodity outside of college-level performance.

If the deal goes down, it becomes a matter of what’s next.

An ideal scenario would involve San Fransisco footing some (or all) of Aiyuk’s $14 million salary for this season. Though Pittsburgh wouldn’t need to extend him this offseason, it’s likely they would because he’s entering the final year of his deal. According to Spotrac, Aiyuk’s market value is $24.9 million, and that sounds like the low end of the final figure.

At 26, Aiyuk hasn’t even reached his prime yet and he’s produced insane numbers (2,357 yards, 15 touchdowns) over the past two seasons. He’ll be around for a contract or two.

Aiyuk is worth it, even if it’s not to the San Fransisco 49ers.

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Kendrick Bourne continuing to recruit Brandon Aiyuk to Patriots

Kendrick Bourne is pulling out all of the stops to recruit Brandon Aiyuk to New England

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has already tried recruiting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Patriots. However, Bourne ramped up his recruitment over the weekend.

There was an initial report that Aiyuk requested a trade from the 49ers. However, the wide receiver’s agent shut down the report. There have been rumors surrounding the wide receiver ever since the beginning of this off-season, and he has been linked as a player the Patriots could potentially show interest in, if the 49ers are willing to trade him.

Aiyuk could provide a spark to the Patriots’ passing game. He tallied 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He would immediately become New England’s top wide receiver, and he would give them that playmaking weapon they have been missing over the years.

In the meantime, Bourne has been hard at work trying his best to recruit the wideout.

It may seem like a bit of a longshot, especially given New England’s offseason strategy and trends to this point. Nevertheless, the draft is coming up. The organization has the draft capital to make something big happen.

Now, it’s up to them to seize the opportunity.

Cardinals a potential suitor for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

There are nor reports of talks or interest, but the Cardinals make sense as a potential destination for Aiyuk if he is traded.

The Arizona Cardinals currently have one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers have an unhappy receiver in Brandon Aiyuk, seeking a contract extension. While the Niners don’t want to, trading Aiyuk is a possibility.

While the Cardinals could draft a receiver with the fourth overall pick in the draft, there is the potential for trading back and missing out on the top receivers.

Because of that, the Cardinals are a team to watch to potentially be in the mix for trade talks for Aiyuk, writes Niners Wire managing editor Kyle Madson.

This is admittedly an extremely long shot given that trades within the division aren’t super common. Arizona has the No. 4 pick this year and the No. 27 selection from Houston. They’ll likely wind up picking the best WR in the class at the No. 4 spot after QBs go with the first three picks, but there’s a non-zero chance they trade back from four if a team wants to climb up to grab a QB. Depending on how far down Arizona trades they might still be able to draft a top WR. If they’re not able to swing those deals though, they could try and snag a proven commodity like Aiyuk in the trade market, even if it winds up costing them a heavy tax for playing in the NFC West.

PODCAST: Should the Cardinals trade for WRs Brandon Aiyuk, Tee Higgins?

Jess Root and Seth Cox discuss whether trading for Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins would make sense for the Cardinals in this show.

The Arizona Cardinals are in the middle of all sorts of trade speculation in the NFL draft. When it comes to trade rumors for players on other teams, though, there has been nothing.

Their most glaring need on the roster is at wide receiver.

In this edition of the podcast, cohost Seth Cox and I discuss trading for a couple of good, established receivers — Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers and Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Are they worth it? What would it cost? Under what circumstances would it make sense?

We discuss all of that in this show.

Enjoy the show!

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

Times and topics:

(1:00) Should the Cardinals trade for Brandon Aiyuk?

(19:08) Should the Cardinals trade for Tee Higgins?

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Should the Commanders trade for 49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk?

Would the Commanders look to make a trade with the 49ers to land an impact wide receiver?

The Washington Commanders could use some help at wide receiver. Washington has Terry McLaurin, 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson and lots of unproven commodities.

Curtis Samuel departed in free agency and is now in Buffalo. The Commanders are still waiting on Dyami Brown, and Jamison Crowder is in more of a supporting role at this stage of his career. Mitchell Tinsley and Kazmeir Allen will battle to earn a roster spot in training camp.

With nine picks in the 2024 NFL draft, Washington could look to add a receiver on day two. The 2024 receiver class is loaded, and you will be able to find contributors in the fourth round.

But…..what if the Commanders traded for some help at wide receiver?

Who would Washington trade for? How about San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk?

Why Aiyuk? First, he’s good—really good. So why would San Francisco trade him? For one, the 49ers already paid Deebo Samuel and have a ton of big contracts on the books. They may not be able to afford what Aiyuk will command.

Aiyuk is heading into his fifth NFL season in 2024. He’s a free agent after the upcoming season. Ahead of this year’s NFL draft, his value will never be higher.

Back to the Commanders. They still have plenty of salary cap room and do not have a ton on the books in future years. Washington is a perfect trading partner for San Francisco. Most importantly, the Commanders have the picks to satisfy the 49ers without trading the No. 2 overall pick.

Trading for Aiyuk and pairing him with McLaurin would give the Commanders one of the NFL’s best duos. Add in Dotson, who could play in the slot, and that’s a dangerous trio.

Then, there is the new Washington GM, Adam Peters. Peters came to the Commanders from the 49ers, where he spent the past eight seasons. He was a major decision-maker in selecting Aiyuk in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

There is one more connection. Aiyuk played at Arizona State in 2018 and 2019. His quarterback for his final season with the Sun Devils was Jayden Daniels. Daniels, along with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, are the top contenders to land in Washington with the second overall pick.

Daniels and Aiyuk are reportedly close.

A trade still seems unlikely, as Peters must find a left tackle early in the 2024 NFL draft. It would probably only take one of Washington’s two second-rounders, in addition to another pick, to land Aiyuk. For as much as Peters has talked about using the draft to build the roster, it seems unlikely he’d part with too much draft capital. However, in this instance, he’d be trading for a player he knows and likes.

Anytime you can add an impact player, you do whatever is possible to land that player. With a new quarterback coming, adding another talented wideout wouldn’t be the worst thing for Washington.

49ers pick WR in Round 1 of mock draft decided by betting markets

Here’s a thing that’s probably not going to happen to the 49ers in this year’s draft:

Pro Football Focus published a fun spin on a mock draft where author Arjun Menon crafted a 32-pick projection based on odds implied by betting markets. That is to say each player was selected based on which player has the best odds to go to a team. It’s a fun process, but the 49ers pick for it comes with a pretty sizable flaw.

Menon’s mock sends Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey to the 49ers because “it seems like the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are moving further apart in contract negotiations with each passing day.”

We’ll put a pin in the assumption on contract negotiations for now and focus instead on the potential trading of Aiyuk itself.

McConkey landing with the 49ers is certainly not out of the question. He’s a versatile, tough WR who spends an almost comedic amount of time running open. It’s easy to see why head coach Kyle Shanahan would love having a player like him to pair with quarterback Brock Purdy for the foreseeable future.

What isn’t accounted for in the world where the 49ers are drafting McConkey because they traded Aiyuk is that they’d likely only deal Aiyuk for a first-round pick this year. Perhaps it’s the Jaguars and the No. 17 choice. Maybe it’s the Steelers with the 20th pick. Either way if we’re going to venture into this world where the 49ers are trading Aiyuk, there should be additional implication that the trade fetched them something in the first round.

Perhaps odds aren’t accounting for that possibility despite the fact “it seems like the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are moving further apart in contract negotiations with each passing day.” Maybe McConkey being the implied favorite to land in San Francisco has nothing to do with Aiyuk.

It should still at least be acknowledged that if the 49ers are dealing the All-Pro wide receiver it would be for a first-round pick this year and probably something else. The Titans received Nos. 18 and 101 for WR AJ Brown. Baltimore got the No. 23 pick for WR Marquise Brown and the 100th overall selection.

It’s easy to envision a scenario where the 49ers trade Aiyuk and pick a wide receiver in the first round. It’s also not hard to see the 49ers picking a WR in Round 1 without trading Aiyuk. What is difficult is to see the 49ers dealing Aiyuk this offseason for anything less than a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

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Brandon Aiyuk’s social media post just following contract negotiation playbook

Don’t freak out about Brandon Aiyuk’s social media activity. (Do freak out if the 49ers trade him though).

Brandon Aiyuk on Monday sent various corners of the internet where 49ers fans reside into a tizzy with a simple Instagram post. The All-Pro wide receiver posted to his story a set of emojis that translated roughly to “money talks, defecation from some kind of horned bovine creature walks.”

The only thing keeping this from being a textbook play from a player negotiating a contract is that it wasn’t quite cryptic enough. The message was loud and clear (and not particularly groundbreaking): Aiyuk wants to get paid.

(Screenshot via IG/@brandonaiyuk)

Aiyuk’s desire to achieve the proverbial bag this offseason isn’t a secret. It’s not a secret any time an ascending All-Pro player is due for his second NFL contract. The post from Aiyuk is a typical move to negotiate as best as possible through the public. He can control the discourse with a couple taps on his phone since general manager John Lynch is going to say all the right things publicly about how they’re working toward a deal and they want Aiyuk around long-term. He’ll also say things like the 49ers are okay with letting Aiyuk play out his fifth-year option.

 

While Lynch does that, Aiyuk can whip fans into a frenzy to try and apply some kind of external pressure on the 49ers.

That’s the extent of the damage he can do with a social media post though. The 49ers front office didn’t see Aiyuk’s IG story and have some kind of revelation that they may need to pay him top-five WR money. There have been zero points since the start of the 2023 season when that hasn’t been the case. He was stellar in 2022 and backed it up with an even better 2023. There are a million reasons they’ll want to keep him in the building.

We can expect more of this kind of thing going forward if other players contract negotiations are instructive at all. At some point there’ll be another social media post from Aiyuk or someone close to him indicating he’s on his way out. There will be teams and people followed and unfollowed on social media. Photos and posts will be deleted. There might even be a public trade demand in there.

None of these public negotiation tactics will ultimately matter because none of it is out of the ordinary. We’ve seen it time and time again, and it doesn’t alter the 49ers’ course of negotiations at all. Just like Lynch saying all the right things won’t change Aiyuk’s course of negotiation. What will matter is what’s going on behind closed doors.

It’s clear the 49ers want to keep Aiyuk, but they’ll have a price point. Whether Aiyuk’s price point falls at or below where the 49ers are willing to go remains to be seen. Those negotiations are certainly underway on some level, but they’ve likely not begun in earnest.

There are two deadlines, one hard and one soft. The hard deadline is the 2024 NFL draft which starts on Thursday, April 25. If San Francisco is going to trade Aiyuk it’s likely they’d want to do so by Day 1 of the draft to ensure they’re maximizing their return in a way that will help them this season.

The soft deadline is the start of training camp. The 49ers have typically done business in a way that sees long-term extensions get done either just before or early on in training camp. We saw defensive end Nick Bosa take his negotiations on a new contract up to the first week of the regular season, but that hasn’t been the usual timeline for San Francisco and its star players.

It’s unlikely there’s a smooth path to the conclusion of the Aiyuk saga. Regardless of how it ends there are going to be twists and turns. While we don’t know how this all will end, we do know it’s not going to turn either direction based on an either cryptic or not-so-cryptic social media post.

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John Lynch: 49ers not having trade talks about Brandon Aiyuk

John Lynch addressed the Brandon Aiyuk trade stuff at the NFL owners meetings.

The Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors have started flying with the first waves of free agency starting to slow down. Reports have surfaced about the Jaguars and Steelers both being interested in Aiyuk, but 49ers general manager John Lynch on Monday at the NFL owners meetings denied any report that San Francisco has had talks about trading the 26-year-old All-Pro.

According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, Lynch said the 49ers are in talks with Aiyuk about an extension and that any reports of trade discussions are false. Lynch also noted the 49ers would be fine letting Aiyuk play out the fifth year of his rookie contract with no long-term extension.

The problem isn’t whether the 49ers would let Aiyuk play out the deal. It’s whether Aiyuk would be willing to take the field without an extension. San Francisco holds most of the power here since skipping a year would also lose a year of service for Aiyuk, putting him right back in the same spot next season.

However, the 49ers aren’t likely to want Aiyuk playing on that fifth-year option for a couple reasons. First, that may sever the long-term relationship entirely if they make him play without any kind of long-term security. Second, his $14.2 million cap hit this year could actually be reduced via a longer-term deal.

This is where the contract negotiation part of this comes in and it’s why the 49ers should have some optimism about getting a deal done. It’s in their best interest to give Aiyuk what he deserves, and it’s in Aiyuk’s best interest to get that deal signed so he can go into 2024 with the proverbial bag in hand.

Alas, those negotiations will happen as much in public as they do in private. Lynch could very easily be lying about the trade talks and the willingness to let Aiyuk play on the fifth-year option. If Aiyuk’s camp is looking for a deal north of what the 49ers are willing to pay, then a trade will have to be on the table if they want to recoup anything for the WR.

All of this should happen relatively quickly though. If San Francisco’s brass believes they’ll have to trade the receiver, they’ll want to do so before this year’s draft to ensure they’re going to get quality draft capital that can help this year.

If a trade doesn’t materialize, then we can expect this to go well into the offseason and even into training camp. That’s how the 49ers have typically done business, and it appears they’re on track to follow the same path they’ve followed with Fred Warner, George Kittle, Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel in recent seasons.

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Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors from 49ers perspective

All of the reasons people want their favorite team to trade for Brandon Aiyuk are all of the reasons the #49ers have to keep him.

The Brandon Aiyuk trade conversation has gotten rolling as the dust settles on free agency and the NFL draft approaches. Since San Francisco would likely be aiming to move the WR by Draft Day, the discussions about team fits and potential trade partners will ramp up substantially.

Jacksonville has come up as a potential suitor after they lost Calvin Ridley in free agency. Pittsburgh has also become a popular hypothetical destination after Aiyuk fed trade speculation with a tweet to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on March 19. It was Aiyuk’s first tweet since April 30, 2023.

The trade talks aren’t unfounded or ridiculous. Aiyuk is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, and it’s unlikely he’ll be willing to suit up without a long-term extension. San Francisco also doesn’t have a ton of wiggle room under the cap this year. There are ways they can structure the contract to make it more affordable in 2024 than his $14.2 million fifth-year option. More on this in a bit.

However, it’s not a slam dunk the 49ers get a deal done. They’ll have a value in mind and if Aiyuk’s camp wants something more than that number, then San Francisco will have to trade its No. 1 wide receiver.

To be clear, the 49ers don’t want to trade him. They’ve said as much publicly any time anyone with ears and a pulse is in the vicinity. All of the reasons pundits and writers and podcasters believe Aiyuk is a fit for one team are also reasons he’s a fit for the 49ers. He’s still just 26, has great hands, explosive athleticism and a dynamic route tree that makes him one of the toughest covers in the sport. Aiyuk has also become a dominant run blocker which will help his case with every offensive coach in the NFL.

This is why the 49ers will be working to ensure they’re locking up Aiyuk beyond the 2024 campaign. He’s their future on offense alongside quarterback Brock Purdy. Letting Aiyuk walk ensures a nearly bare offensive cupboard for their newly-minted franchise QB by the time 2026 rolls around. It’s hard to envision many scenarios where the 49ers are letting Aiyuk get out the door, particularly because finding players like him isn’t easy. The Titans jettisoning WR AJ Brown during the 2022 draft is instructive in this case. That’s a scenario the 49ers will want to avoid.

So, let’s get back to the money.

It’s easy to point to all of the high-dollar contracts of left tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey and conclude the 49ers simply cannot pay another wide receiver. Giving Aiyuk $28 million per year means they’re giving their top two receivers nearly $52 million in average annual value. That’s a lot!

For this season though the deal could be structured in a way that actually saves the 49ers money against the cap this year. They could potentially cut Aiyuk’s $14.2 million cap hit in half to save money now while pushing his bigger cap hits into the future when the cap keeps climbing and some of the other sizable contracts come off their books.

There’s a harsh reality that comes with this though. That group of offensive weapons featuring Willams, Kittle, Samuel and McCaffrey may not be in the 49ers’ long-term plans. San Francisco has to start gearing up for the future where Aiyuk figures to be a major player for them entering his prime while Kittle, Samuel and McCaffrey all clear 30-years old and Williams pushes 40.

So as the trade rumors and speculation fly, and Aiyuk is lauded as a fit for teams because of his ability and age, the 49ers will be aiming to pay him for all of those exact same reasons. There’s a definite scenario where the two sides don’t come to a deal, but the 49ers will be bending over backward to try and ensure a key piece of their future is locked up long-term.

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