San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is taking contract negotiations personally and seemingly has one foot out the door in San Francisco. With the 49ers and Aiyuk apparently at an impasse in contract talks, is it possible we could see one of the league's best wide receivers actually get traded before the start of the 2024 season?
If the price is right, you just never know...
The 49ers might not be willing to trade Aiyuk to certain teams they are contending with in the NFC, and certainly they wouldn't be willing to trade him to teams that could directly oppose them in the Super Bowl like the Chiefs or Ravens (right?) but there are still some teams who could see a drastic increase in their Super Bowl chances this year by making a move like this.
Which teams need to make the 49ers an offer they can't refuse?
3 NFL teams that could become contenders by trading for WR Brandon Aiyuk
1. Los Angeles Chargers
For the first offseason in a while, it feels like the Los Angeles Chargers aren't being over-hyped by the media. And maybe that alone makes this team more dangerous. New head coach Jim Harbaugh has come in and put his stamp all over the roster and organization, but the wide receiver position has been the "sacrificial lamb", as it were, to make necessary changes elsewhere.
Justin Herbert's #1 target in the passing game is poised to be either Quentin Johnston, who struggled in his rookie season, or second-round rookie Ladd McConkey.
Adding Brandon Aiyuk would give the Chargers an enviable trio and would give Justin Herbert a legit WR1.
2. Buffalo Bills
Losing both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the same offseason was brutal for the Buffalo Bills. It's probably a bit of a stretch to think that the 49ers would deal with Buffalo but at the same time, they might be willing to take their chances.
The Bills added Keon Coleman in the NFL Draft to help supplement their losses in the offseason but the front office in Buffalo needs to realize the window it's currently in with Josh Allen and the importance of making a move like this to get a guy like Aiyuk in the building. It would be worth a first-round pick to have a playmaker like that for Allen after losing both Diggs and Davis.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
I'm straddling the fence when it comes to projecting what the Pittsburgh Steelers are actually going to be in 2024. On the one hand, it's impossible to deny the greatness of Mike Tomlin historically speaking, which is to say that the Steelers have literally never had a losing record with him at the helm. The question mark here is whether or not quarterback Russell Wilson can be more effective over the long haul of a season under Arthur Smith than he was with Sean Payton in Denver.
Adding Brandon Aiyuk would certainly help. The Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Steelers earlier this offseason and undoubtedly have a hole at the position as a result. Aiyuk could help take the offense to a championship-caliber level.