How much longer will Brandon Aiyuk be a member of the San Francisco 49ers?
On Tuesday, the contract-year wideout officially requested a trade out of the Bay Area, according to NFL Network. Aiyuk, the 49ers’ first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason, but San Francisco held onto him through the draft.
With no extension in sight, Aiyuk wants to leave the defending NFC champions and find a new club. Where are his best landing spots around the NFL?
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Requests Trade
NFLN’s Mike Garafolo was the first to report Aiyuk’s trade request, noting that the 49ers “haven’t been willing to engage in negotiations since May,” leading Aiyuk to “respectfully ask out.”
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicates that rival teams that have contacted the 49ers about Aiyuk have been told San Francisco does not intend to trade him.
Aiyuk is scheduled to earn $14.124 million on his 2024 fifth-year option. He will hit the open market in 2025 unless San Francisco extends him or deploys a franchise tag, which should cost roughly $25 million next season, per Over the Cap.
Ayiuk blossomed into a legitimate WR1 in 2023, earning second-team All-Pro honors while finishing second in yards per reception (17.9), sixth in yards per route run (2.65), and seventh in receiving yards (1,342).
Nearly every advanced metric likes Aiyuk. He finished No. 1 in ESPN’s receiver tracking metrics in 2023, mainly due to his NFL-best 97 “Catch” rating.
Aiyuk’s “Catch” grade measures his ability to harness contested passes and lines up with the eye test. The Arizona State product’s game highlights are littered with examples of him plucking the ball away from opposing cornerbacks.
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Aiyuk also ranked first in receiving DVOA, which measures per-play value over a league-average receiver. And he didn’t just come in No. 1 — he lapped the rest of the field, finishing eight percentage points higher than second-place Nico Collins.
Now that fellow WRs Justin Jefferson ($35 million AAV), A.J. Brown ($32 million), and Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30.002 million) have received new deals, Aiyuk is next in line — and he is likely targeting at least $30 million per year on his next contract.
Where are his best landing spots if the 49ers agree to trade Aiyuk?
Top Landing Spots For Brandon Aiyuk
Washington Commanders
Ayiuk has been heavily linked to the Washington Commanders this offseason, and much of the connection is his own doing.
He was teammates with new Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels at Arizona State and has repeatedly shared videos of their FaceTime interactions this offseason, including one in which Aiyuk claimed the 49ers didn’t want him to return.
While Washington already rosters WR Terry McLaurin, it could afford to surround Daniels with more weapons. Former first-rounder Jahan Dotson hasn’t eclipsed 550 receiving yards in either of his two NFL seasons, while rookie third-round pick Luke McCaffrey is tentatively penciled in as the Commanders’ slot receiver.
Moreover, first-year Washington general manager Adam Peters was in San Francisco when the 49ers selected Aiyuk out of Arizona State. Could that connection help bring Aiyuk to the nation’s capital?
Pittsburgh Steelers
Few teams need as much receiver help as the Pittsburgh Steelers. After trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason, the Steelers are left with many question marks behind George Pickens.
Rookie second-rounder Roman Wilson should have every opportunity to grab a starting job, but Pittsburgh still needs another wideout. Counting on NFL journeymen like Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Scotty Miller might not be the best solution.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots didn’t eschew WR additions this offseason, selecting Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in the first four rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, Jacoby Brissett/Drake Maye still don’t have a true game-breaker on the outside.
Aiyuk could be that option, and the Patriots have reportedly spoken to the 49ers about a potential trade this offseason.
Pairing Maye and Aiyuk for the long haul could be a franchise-changing move for New England. And the Patriots, who still have $44 million in 2024 cap space and another $8 million in 2025, have more than enough cash to give Aiyuk a massive extension.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills‘ WR room looks a lot different than it did at this time a year ago.
Stefon Diggs is gone, having been traded to the Houston Texans. Gabe Davis also departed for the AFC South after signing a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Buffalo brought in veteran Curtis Samuel and drafted Florida State’s Keon Coleman in the second round, but Josh Allen could still use another weapon.
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However, the Bills are undergoing something of a roster reset. They purged myriad veterans from their roster this offseason and are trying to get their salary cap in order.
While Aiyuk makes sense in Buffalo from an on-field perspective, a trade may not be feasible for the Bills.
New York Jets
Why not Gang Green? The New York Jets are all-in on the 2024 campaign. Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old; general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh’s jobs are on the line.
What’s stopping the Jets from sending an early-round pick to San Francisco and forming a dominant WR trio of Aiyuk, Garrett Wilson, and Mike Williams?
New York has already been linked to former Rodgers teammate Davante Adams, who could be traded by the Las Vegas Raiders this summer. Aiyuk is five years younger and could become the better receiver in 2024.
Which NFL Teams Have the Most Cap Space?
Any team that lands Aiyuk will have to give a multi-year extension. Even if Aiyuk’s new club gives him a significant signing bonus that can be prorated over the life of the contract, it will still need cap room to give him the deal he wants.
Coincidentally, the two teams at the top of our Aiyuk suitors list — the Patriots and Commanders — currently have the most cap space in the NFL. New England has roughly $43.8 million in available space, while Washington is right behind them with $37 million.
The Arizona Cardinals ($35.4 million), Detroit Lions ($34.6 million), and Las Vegas Raiders ($34.1 million) round out the league’s top five in remaining cap space.