The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly firm on their stance with disgruntled star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has formally requested a trade.
On Tuesday afternoon, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Brandon Aiyuk has asked the 49ers for a trade. The 26-year-old is heading into the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, and discussions on a new deal have gone nowhere.
Soon after news of Aiyuk’s trade request broke, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that other teams inquired about a possible trade with the 49ers. According to Schefter, San Francisco has informed those teams that they “have no intention of trading” the All-Pro wideout.
Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a career year in which he tallied 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Aiyuk helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl 58 appearance, where they fell to Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs.
The Arizona State product has been widely mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason, with some reports tying him to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Justin Jefferson (four years, $140 million), Amon-Ra St. Brown (four years, $120.01 million), DeVonta Smith (three years, $75 million), AJ Brown (three years, $96 million) and Nico Collins (three years, $72.75 million) headline the group of marquee wide receivers who got lucrative extensions from their respective teams.
49ers Are Better Off With Brandon Aiyuk
The 49ers have four explosive playmakers in Aiyuk, running back Christian McCaffrey, wideout Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle. But Aiyuk is unquestionably their best pass-catcher, and the 49ers must find a way to keep him.
San Francisco could always trade Aiyuk for early-round draft picks, but those are merely lottery tickets at the end of the day. Aiyuk is a top-10 receiver in the game, and the 49ers are simply better off keeping the young superstar in their bid to win Lombardi Trophy No. 6.
