While the San Francisco 49ers are joining the rest of the NFL in preparing for Thursday’s NFL Draft, the future of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has interfered at the forefront.
General manager John Lynch is optimistic the star wide receiver won’t be traded. But new insider reports on the 1,000-yard wideout, plus Lynch reflecting on one draft mistake, help headline today’s 49ers news.
San Francisco 49ers News Today
NFL Insiders Provide Update on the Brandon Aiyuk Situation
Lynch addressed Aiyuk’s future with reporters on Monday. Not only does the GM believe Aiyuk will remain in the Bay Area, but the team also refused to address an NBC Sports Pro Football Talk report from Mike Florio stating Aiyuk is being allowed to gauge interest in a trade.
On Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network helped clarify if Aiyuk did indeed request a trade.
“Now, let’s be crystal clear. Sources continue to insist that Brandon Aiyuk has not requested a trade from the 49ers,” Garafolo said.
The insider additionally provided details on whether Aiyuk and the franchise are in discussions about a new deal.
“My understanding is they talked as late as yesterday, again, with Brandon Aiyuk’s camp. So those conversations continue to be ongoing,” Garafolo said.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport has reason to believe Aiyuk won’t become the league’s highest-paid wideout. Yet, that doesn’t mean the 49ers and the receiver they drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft will be severing ties.
Still, Aiyuk’s future with the team isn’t set in stone.
“Are they going to pay him the most in the NFL? Maybe not,” Rapoport said. “They’ve got a good team. They want to keep it together. But would it be enough to keep him? … I’m leaning more, as of right now, of him potentially staying, but this story has not yet been written fully at all.”
From The Insiders: The only way the door gets shut on a Brandon Aiyuk trade is if the #49ers give him a new deal. There appear to be other teams willing to do it if SF doesn't. pic.twitter.com/sa0FRwat2x
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 23, 2024
Elsewhere, Bay Area columnist and longtime NFL insider Michael Silver wrote Tuesday that an Aiyuk trade is still very much at play.
“Based on what I’m hearing from knowledgeable sources inside the building, and from high-ranking personnel executives and coaches around the league, don’t rule out a deal that would send Brock Purdy’s favorite target to another team,” Silver wrote.
CONTINUE READING: Lynch Squashes Aiyuk Rumors
Incoming Rookie WR Makes Pitch for 49ers
Say San Francisco does indeed pull off a draft-week trade of Aiyuk. That would give the team leverage to turn to the draft for receiver help.
One incoming rookie is envisioning himself on the Niners.
In his appearance on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams, 2024 NFL Draft prospect Malachi Corley shared his belief he would fit in nicely on the 49ers, even making a sales pitch ahead of the draft.
“Put me out there with Deebo [Samuel],” Corley told Adams. “Deebo, left, Malachi, right, [Brandon] Aiyuk, [Christian] McCaffrey down the middle.”
Corley addressed the idea of joining the back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver, too.
“That’s somebody I definitely want to play with,” Corley said.
YAC King @CorleyMalachi to the Niners?
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) April 23, 2024
Corley is projected to land on Day 2. Pro Football Network’s Will Helms does have the WKU star going to the wide-zone scheme the 49ers run in his recent mock draft. However, he’s projecting Corley will land at No. 55 to the Miami Dolphins, who have former San Francisco offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as head coach.
KEEP READING: Will Helms’ 3-Round NFL Mock Draft
John Lynch Looks Back on the Trey Lance Selection
While Aiyuk and his pending 49ers future has surfaced in front of draft chatter, Lynch additionally ended up addressing another major trade: Trey Lance in 2021.
Lynch helped orchestrate a stunning move three years ago to slide into No. 3 and grab the high-profile star from North Dakota State. But as the San Francisco faithful know, Brock Purdy went on to emerge as the QB of the 49ers’ future. Lance ultimately was traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the 2023 season in exchange for a fourth-round selection.
“Yeah, we gave up a lot. We did it for reasons that we had and motivations, and it didn’t work out,” Lynch said to reporters. “But thank God for Mr. Irrelevant [Purdy]. He helped us.”
Still, Lynch didn’t want to state that Lance was a draft bust for the 49ers.
“I always am careful of this because Trey Lance’s story hasn’t been written yet,” Lynch said. “He’s in Dallas right now and I still think Trey’s got good football in him. We’ll see. That will play out.”
Meanwhile, that fourth-rounder San Francisco gained from the Cowboys/Lance trade comes into play on Saturday, which is selection No. 124.
GET DRAFTING: Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
