NFL · 1 year ago

5 Potential Trade Partners if the 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals were a pleasant surprise for much of the 2023-2024 season, and Kyler Murray will enter the coming campaign healthy and ready to go. Arizona drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. and the rookie appears to be a generational talent at wide receiver. Trey McBride is an excellent young tight end, and James Conner is a solid running back. The issue for the Cardinals is a lack of quality options outside of Harrison Jr. They have good depth pieces like Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch, but to prevent teams from zeroing in on Harrison Jr., adding a second weapon like Brandon Aiyuk would hit the fast forward on the Cardinals’ rebuild. Aiyuk grew up in Nevada and attended Arizona State University, so he knows the area. He could be willing to sign on long-term to partner with Murray and Harrison Jr.

Arizona 2024 Win Total: 6.5
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Perhaps the most logical destination for Brandon Aiyuk would be the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have scuffled on offense for a few seasons and have made several moves to try and reset things on that side of the ball. Kenny Pickett is gone, and the Steelers are turning to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to steer the ship at quarterback. They elected to trade Diontae Johnson away and did not fill the hole next to George Pickens. Pittsburgh is still unsure what they have in Pickens, but he’s the best threat they have on offense and desperately needs additional firepower. Pittsburgh has some cap space available and could offer their 2025 first-round pick plus an extra piece or two (tight end Darnell Washington might be appealing) to bring Aiyuk to Steel City. The 49ers wide receiver has bantered with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin this offseason, adding juice to the rumor of Pittsburgh’s interest.

Pittsburgh 2024 Win Total: 8.5
2. New York Jets
One can argue whether or not the New York Jets are Super Bowl contenders, but the Jets believe their narrow window to win the title is open. At the very least, if Aaron Rodgers is healthy, the Jets can end their long playoff drought and return to the postseason. If they believe this team is close to contending, adding Brandon Aiyuk would be a “win now” move that could reap big dividends in the Big Apple. The Jets already have Garrett Wilson and added Mike Williams, plus Malachi Corley. However, Corley is a rookie, and Williams is a significant injury risk. Trading away major draft capital for Aiyuk would be a considerable risk, but it could be worth it to acquire a difference-maker like Aiyuk.

New York Jets 2024 Win Total: 9.5
3. New England Patriots
What better way to support your rookie franchise quarterback than to trade for a proven high-end wide receiver? The New England Patriots drafted Drake Maye with the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he inherits one of the league’s worst group of skill players. The Patriots did draft Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, but neither is likely ever to reach the level Brandon Aiyuk has already shown to be capable of. Aiyuk could serve as a mentor to the two young receivers and jumpstart Maye's development as the Patriots start a new era with a new head coach. New England has a lot of cap space and could offer Aiyuk the deal he seeks after his rookie deal expires at the end of the 2024-2025 season.

New England 2024 Win Total: 4.5
4. Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh is now the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers and has primarily gutted the offense around quarterback Justin Herbert. Harbaugh certainly has a different idea of how to win than his predecessors with the Chargers had. However, it was still surprising to see Keenan Allen and Mike Williams jettisoned, leaving the Chargers with Quentin Johnston and rookie Ladd McConkey as the top two wide receivers on the team. To be blunt, that is nowhere near good enough to compete in the AFC, and wasting the prime years of Herbert’s career is less than ideal. The Chargers shed a lot of players and have opened up $26 million in cap space, the ninth-most in the league. They could make the trade and have a projected $98 million in cap space after the 2024-2025 season.

LA Chargers 2024 Win Total: 8.5
5. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals were a pleasant surprise for much of the 2023-2024 season, and Kyler Murray will enter the coming campaign healthy and ready to go. Arizona drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. and the rookie appears to be a generational talent at wide receiver. Trey McBride is an excellent young tight end, and James Conner is a solid running back. The issue for the Cardinals is a lack of quality options outside of Harrison Jr. They have good depth pieces like Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch, but to prevent teams from zeroing in on Harrison Jr., adding a second weapon like Brandon Aiyuk would hit the fast forward on the Cardinals’ rebuild. Aiyuk grew up in Nevada and attended Arizona State University, so he knows the area. He could be willing to sign on long-term to partner with Murray and Harrison Jr.

Arizona 2024 Win Total: 6.5
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Perhaps the most logical destination for Brandon Aiyuk would be the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have scuffled on offense for a few seasons and have made several moves to try and reset things on that side of the ball. Kenny Pickett is gone, and the Steelers are turning to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to steer the ship at quarterback. They elected to trade Diontae Johnson away and did not fill the hole next to George Pickens. Pittsburgh is still unsure what they have in Pickens, but he’s the best threat they have on offense and desperately needs additional firepower. Pittsburgh has some cap space available and could offer their 2025 first-round pick plus an extra piece or two (tight end Darnell Washington might be appealing) to bring Aiyuk to Steel City. The 49ers wide receiver has bantered with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin this offseason, adding juice to the rumor of Pittsburgh’s interest.

Pittsburgh 2024 Win Total: 8.5