At this point, most San Francisco 49ers fans are ready to be done with the Brandon Aiyuk saga. The star wide receiver's frustrating absence throughout the 2025 season was a consistent source of drama, distracting from the team's goal of making another run to the Super Bowl.
With the Niners clearly ready to move on from the wideout, fans and analysts have started to speculate about where he could end up next.
ESPN's Ben Solak recently predicted that Aiyuk would land with the Cleveland Browns this offseason.
If he does, it will be a hilarious conclusion to the ongoing drama that has turned so many fans in San Francisco against him.
ESPN predicts hilarious landing spot for 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk
In a recent article, ESPN analysts gave an offseason outlook for each NFL team. For the Cleveland Browns, they projected a move for Aiyuk. Solak said:
"The Browns will bring in 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, as they continue their tradition of signing receivers on low-cost contracts in the hopes of hitting it big. Aiyuk's days in San Francisco are likely over; the Browns can offer him more money and opportunity compared to any other team in the NFL."
Sure, the Browns would give Aiyuk the chance to be a clear-cut top receiver, but at what cost? He would be joining one of the most dysfunctional offenses in football, one that failed to win more than five games for the second season in a row in 2025.
The Browns don't have a clear plan for the quarterback position moving forward. Shedeur Sanders looks set to carry his starting position into 2026, but he's far from being an established franchise QB. Aiyuk would be moving from one of the most effective offenses in professional football to one of the least.
As enticing as the money might be, the current state of the Browns would make most receivers hesitant.
The 49ers will need to add to their receiver room this offseason. With Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings potentially on the way out, this roster is in desperate need of help at the position. Still, they're in better shape than the Browns are at the moment.
After all of the nonsense that has surrounded San Francisco's relationship with the star receiver in recent years, fans would get a laugh out of seeing him leave for a team that has consistently struggled to find success.