The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Denver Broncos were willing to part ways with Courtland Sutton and a third-round pick in exchange for Brandon Aiyuk
A surprise team entered the mix for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk before the Niners agreed to an extension.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the 49ers were only willing to trade Aiyuk if they received a top-flight wideout to replace him. There aren’t many of those in the NFL. You could make a strong case that there are fewer than ten.
Russini said the Denver Broncos made an offer that included wide receiver Courtland Sutton and a third-round pick for Aiyuk, who would have been dealt Aiyuk to Pittsburgh.
Sutton, who turns 29 this season, is under contract for two more seasons with a cap number of $17.2 million in each year.
He missed all of 2020 with a knee injury and has only played in every game once during his six-year career. Sutton’s best season came in 2019 when he eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards. However, he has not been the same player since his season-ending injury and has not surpassed 900 receiving yards since 2019.
It’s fair to point out that the Broncos quarterback situation has been a bit unstable, but Sutton feels like one of those players who has already reached his ceiling, while Aiyuk is still ascending.
Pulling the trigger on this deal comes off as a prisoner-of-the-moment type when you’re fed up with having the same discussions day in and day out at the negotiations table. The 49ers front office likely felt they weren’t going to make any progress with Aiyuk at the time, and they were ready to wash their hands of the situation.
Sutton is a fine player who can win in contested situations and over the intermediate part of the field. This late in the season, you’re unlikely to find a better option than the 6’4 wideout. So, with the thought that you need to replace Aiyuk with a top-flight wide receiver, Sutton was likely the best option, considering what the 49ers were looking for.
But he is not Aiyuk. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.
How would you have reacted to the 49ers receiving Sutton and a third-round pick in exchange for Aiyuk?