49ers might have already blown their best chance to trade Brandon Aiyuk
Training camp is underway in the NFL but that's not the only thing going on for the San Francisco 49ers at the moment. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk requested a trade from the team, adding drama to the Niners as they look to repeat as NFC champs in the 2024 season.
To make matters worse, according to Mike Florio, the 49ers might have missed their chance to trade Aiyuk and maintain one of the best offenses in the league.
Florio reported over the weekend that there were five teams willing to trade for Aiyuk before the 2024 NFL Draft.
"Regardless, there were five teams, we’re told, who were ready to pay Aiyuk what he wanted before the draft. If they could also reach acceptable trade terms with the 49ers, he would have been traded.
- Mike Florio
That part didn’t happen. It’s unclear what the 49ers wanted at the time. They rejected an offer of a second-round pick from the Patriots. Other interested teams were, and potentially still are, the Steelers and Commanders."
Sure, the 49ers can still trade Aiyuk if they so choose but Florio points out that doing so might not net them a player who can help them win now.
"A post-draft trade becomes problematic for the 49ers, unless someone can offer a current player who will help the 49ers win in 2024. If the best offer includes 2025 draft picks, the 49ers could be tempted to take a hard line with Aiyuk, requiring him to complete the final year of his 2020 first-round rookie deal and then possibly tagging and trading him after the season."
- Mike Florio
Did 49ers miss their chance to trade Brandon Aiyuk?
If the 49ers were going to trade Aiyuk, then yes, before the draft is when they should have and likely would have done it. By not trading him and not having a new deal done with him, their plan is obviously to let him play out his contract this season and then, as Florio mentioned, potentially tagging him in 2025.
The 49ers came so close to winning a Super Bowl a season ago and have one of the best rosters in the league. Trading Aiyuk away so close to the start of the season wouldn't make much sense for them so it's doubtful they'll go that route. Aiyuk makes them a better team and he holds little leverage here so expect to see him wearing Niners attire during the 2024 season.
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