The NFL offseason has gotten underway in a big way. While he had coaching changes aplenty in the first few weeks, the first big trade has also come to pass. Deebo Samuel, after weeks and months of speculation, is finally out of the San Francisco 49ers locker room.
He’s going to the Washington Commanders, but San Francisco might not be done yet. According to the latest reports, there is a good chance that the team will remake practically the entire receiving core with Brandon Aiyuk as a name to monitor in the coming weeks.
San Francisco 49ers Trading Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk?
Aiyuk was also mentioned in trade rumors before last year’s offseason. With the team and player far apart in contract negotiations, it looked like Aiyuk’s move out of the Bay was a real possibility. However, in the end, the 49ers acquiesced, and Aiyuk was back with the squad.
However, injuries forced him into his worst year in San Francisco, with career lows in games played, receptions, targets, yards, and touchdowns. In the last category, Aiyuk did not record a single touchdown in the seven games he played.
After Samuel demanded and was granted a trade, Ian Rapoport believes Aiyuk could also be moved. Speaking at the NFL Combine, he had the latest. “John Lynch, the general manager, also said as much when asked about the rumors, maybe some discussions surrounding Brandon Aiyuk.”
From our Combine broadcast: After the #49ers traded Deebo Samuel, could they also trade Brandon Aiyuk? That would be a challenge. But they do need money to pay Brock Purdy and others… pic.twitter.com/5LFU1ZGhQG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2025
According to Rapoport, Lynch agreed, “‘Yeah, there have been some discussions. Those conversations have always been positive. He’s paid a lot of money, he had a knee injury [and] we’ll see when he’s able to get back.’ But, this is a team that I think would like to get a little bit younger.”
Last year, even without Aiyuk for more than half the year, Christian McCaffrey was essentially a no-show, and Samuel way underperforming from expectations, San Francisco still had a top-10 offense, according to PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
As a result, a few moves are something the organization could potentially sustain, especially considering what’s coming up in the near future. “They got a lot of money in some offensive weapons and they still need to pay some guys.”
Names like Brock Purdy and George Kittle could be extended as soon as this offseason, and some flexibility would work well for Lynch on that front. However, the conversation about Aiyuk being a possible trade candidate began before Samuel was dealt with.
Back then, Rapoport said, “There are actually several big names, big money receivers who could be on the move this offseason.” Among those names were Cooper Kupp, Samuel, and even Aiyuk.
Rapoport mentions the conversation at the Combine, where Lynch explicitly said, “I think there’s some good that could come out of it. We need to get younger.”
John Lynch was directly asked about the Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors on Wednesday by @Chase_Senior.
If you listen closely, he says:
‘I think there’s some good that could come out of it. We need to get younger…’
What exactly is ‘it’ in this situation? Lynch sounds like he’s… pic.twitter.com/fb8ysIQ96E
— Kevin Krueger (@kevinkruegs) March 1, 2025
A year after signing Aiyuk to a four-year deal worth $120 million, the change in perception of Lynch is a little shocking. But looking at his comments, it seems like the 49ers are approaching this offseason as a way to restructure the team.
Samuel is already out; from the looks of it, Aiyuk might not be too far behind.