The San Francisco 49ers have a Brandon Aiyuk-sized headache on their hands, and one can assume everyone within the building can't wait until the disgruntled and AWOL wide receiver is officially off the roster.
When it suits them best, of course.
At this point, Aiyuk's stock value is at an all-time low, and it's nearly impossible to envision any team out there willing to shell out something in exchange to trade for the receiver who hasn't played a snap since October of 2024.
Keyword: "nearly."
Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski recently compiled a list of possible Aiyuk trade packages across the league, primarily looking at teams desperate enough for wide receiver help at this point in the offseason.
And while most of the suggested deals involve draft picks being sent back to the Niners, the Indianapolis Colts' pitch involves a controversial quarterback, Anthony Richardson.
Hmm...
Acquiring Anthony Richardson for Brandon Aiyuk could give 49ers plenty of backup QB options
Here's what Sobleski had to say about the would-be transaction, primarily from Indy's perspective:
The Indianapolis Colts are entering a make-or-break season for the current regime. This move may be viewed as an act of desperation, particularly when general manager Chris Ballard tends to prioritize character and doesn't necessarily want to bring in a player who experienced such a public falling out with his previous team.
Even so, the Colts should seriously consider the possibility since the team hasn't adequately replaced Michael Pittman Jr. after trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Furthermore, Alec Pierce, who signed a $114 million contract extension this offseason to become Indianapolis' new WR1, may not be ready for the Week 1 after requiring offseason ankle surgery.
OK, so what about San Francisco? Why would it be interested in Richardson, a flameout of a pick who was selected No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft? The 49ers already have a fully capable Mac Jones as their backup behind Brock Purdy, so Richardson would be a redundancy, right?
Yes, but...
Jones will be gone by 2027 at the latest, likely looking for a full-time starting job in free agency after resurrecting his career a season ago. Should the Niners pick up Richardson as head coach Kyle Shanahan's next reclamation project, it'd give the front office ample reason to shop Jones even more than it had earlier this offseason.
And that might prime between now and Week 1, especially if another team suffers a key injury under center or isn't content with its starting quarterback situation—there should be at least a handful of teams that fit into that latter category.
Granted, most San Francisco fans would likely rather have Jones as a No. 2 on the depth chart as opposed to Richardson, and one could argue Shanahan feels the same way, which would cancel any serious attention given to a deal with Indianapolis.
However, it's certainly an interesting proposal, and if the Colts offered it, one can only imagine what would go through the 49ers' collective mind.
Add us as a preferred source on Google