The San Francisco 49ers need to clear money for Brock Purdy’s inevitable extension, and reports across the league suggest they could consider a Brandon Aiyuk trade. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, San Francisco locked up their homegrown talent last year after an offseason of trade rumors and a near-deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fast-forward a year and the 49ers have already sent Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders while Aiyuk is sidelined with a torn ACL and MCL.
San Francisco could choose to blow it up and rebuild under a soon-to-be expensive Brock Purdy, as David Lombardi of The Athletic recently went on the Pat McAfee Show and said the team could trade Brandon Aiyuk for the right return. Bleacher Report‘s Moe Moton took is one step further and proposed a deal between the Chargers and 49ers. While Los Angeles could certainly use another wide receiver, they won’t be the only team in the market for Aiyuk’s services.
“Teams interested in the 2020 first-round pick must be comfortable with his recovery from a torn ACL and MCL and a four-year, $120 million deal he signed last offseason…The Chargers have $50.7 million in cap space, and they don’t need his immeidate contributions. Los Angeles went 11-6 with Ladd McConkey as its most reliable pass-catcher last season.”
Chargers, 49ers Connected in Brandon Aiyuk Trade Rumors
The Los Angeles Chargers had no margin for error on offense last year. At his best, Justin Herbert can lead an elite offense with minimal weapons, but last year’s playoff loss shows what happens when the quarterback has an off day. Herbert wasn’t at his best against the Houston Texans, but he played much better than his box score would suggest. Ladd McConkey is the real deal, but this team needs another reliable set of hands.
As of this posting, head coach Jim Harbaugh has spent the offseason bolstering the offensive line and improving the run game with former Steeler Najee Harris. However, they haven’t done much to improve the wide receiver room. Aside from effectively swapping Josh Palmer for a version of Mike Williams who didn’t show much last year, the team is running it back with the same group of wide receivers.
Harbaugh wants to win games on the ground, and he has the players required to run the ball well in 2025. However, he can’t completely ignore the passing game. Herbert is good enough to lead a strong offense with McConkey and nobody else of note, but he’ll need another receiver to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills. A Brandon Aiyuk trade would give the Chargers this long-needed weapon, even if he probably won’t be at full strength in Week 1. Los Angeles plays in a difficult division, but they don’t need Aiyuk to make the playoffs. Working him back slowly and having him for a deep postseason run makes all the sense in the world for this team.
Other Possible Fits: Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders
Main Photo: Darren Yamashita – Imagn Images
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