In the leadup to last week’s NFL Draft, there was great anticipation that San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk would possibly be traded.
It’s no secret that Aiyuk is unhappy with his contract situation. He’s slated to earn $14.12 million this season, the final year of his deal.
He’s not only seeking a significant bump in pay and guaranteed money but also the security of several years of commitment.
After Aiyuk stirred the pot with cryptic messages posted on social media, 49ers general manager John Lynch was asked about his plans for the talented 26-year-old.
Lynch made it clear that the organization values Aiyuk and will not actively seek to trade him.
“We’re really focused on B.A. being part of us. He’s under contract and we’re looking forward to that,” Lynch said. “Our wish is that he’s here and a part of the Niners for the rest of his career.”
“We’re working through that. As such, I was a player once and I never liked my business being out in the public. So, I’m going to respect that.”
Sure enough, the draft came and went and Aiyuk remains a Niner.
It was certainly interesting however that Lynch and the front office drafted Florida Gators star receiver Ricky Pearsall with their first-round pick.
Perhaps Pearsall was the best player available on the Niners board. Or perhaps he was drafted to be Aiyuk’s ultimate replacement…
Regardless, a report from a well-connected 49ers insider has shined new light on the situation.
The well-traveled Mike Silver, now of the San Francsico Chronicle, reports that it’s actually Deebo Samuel who is more likely to be shipped out of San Fran than Aiyuk.
“Based on my conversations with other teams, the 49ers are now more likely to deal Deebo Samuel than they are Brandon Aiyuk. Stay tuned,” Silver posted on X.
Samuel is a Swiss-Army knife who does just about everything for the Niners offense. (Although, he may have lost a step or two over the past few seasons.)
ESPN’s Dan Graziano confirmed that the 49ers preference is to trade Samuel rather than Aiyuk. However, the financial implications complicate matters.
“First of all, my understanding is that the Niners would prefer to move Samuel, not Aiyuk. [Ricky] Pearsall is more similar as a player to Samuel than he is to Aiyuk,” Graziano stated.
“Samuel is scheduled to earn nearly $21 million in salary and count more than $28.6 million against their salary cap in 2024. But in large part because of those numbers, Samuel is the more difficult of the two to trade.”
Even without Samuel (or Aiyuk), San Francisco’s roster will remain absolutely loaded with talent.
Considering how stacked and well-built they are, it’s a miracle this group hasn’t won a Super Bowl yet … They came extremely close twice. You can certainly make the argument that they should’ve beat the Chiefs this past February.
Regardless, it’s onward and upward for Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. The question is will they be moving forward without one of their most valuable weapons?
We may soon find out … We know the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots are closely monitoring the situation.
What are your thoughts on the report?
Who would you rather keep if you’re San Francisco – Aiyuk or Samuel?
Who is the more valuable player???