It’s been an eventful day for San Francisco 49ers wide receivers.
On Tuesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Brandon Aiyuk requested a trade after failing to negotiate a long-term extension. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers have told inquiring teams they have no intentions of moving the 26-year-old.
An Aiyuk trade could create a bigger opportunity for Ricky Pearsall. However, the 49ers placed this year’s No. 31 overall pick on the non-football injury list later in the day.
Fans speculated that Pearsall’s injury will decrease the odds of San Francisco trading Aiyuk this summer.
“Brandon Aiyuk is getting back some negotiating leverage,” a fan claimed. “Especially if this Pearsall injury is a little more serious [than] they are letting on.”
“With Ricky Pearsall hurt Brandon Aiyuk ain’t leaving,” a fan predicted.
“I was thinking Aiyuk’s trade request came off as a desperate attempt for any bit of leverage possible before training camp (could still be true), but with the Pearsall injury news breaking… if it’s anything serious BA might actually have gotten the leverage he was grasping for,” a fan wrote.
The 49ers can still activate Pearsall at any time during training camp, and there’s no information available on his injury. It’s far too early to wonder how the 23-year-old’s status could affect Aiyuk’s situation.
Aiyuk tallied 75 catches for a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Yet the 49ers, who recently gave Deebo Samuel a $71.5 million extension, still drafted another wide receiver with their first-round pick.
Related: Breaking: Brandon Aiyuk Officially Requests Trade From 49ers