San Franicsco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has done a great job of turning himself into a star player. It wasn’t long ago that he was being benched by Kyle Shanahan for disciplinary reasons and he has turned himself into an integral part of the 49ers’ offense.
But, how much longer will he be with the 49ers? Based on some social media posts made by his brother and girlfriend, it may not be much longer that he remains with San Francisco. Both made posts hinting at Aiyuk being on the move this offseason.
In a TikTok post, his girlfriend said that post-Super Bowl 58 could be the last time they are in Levi Stadium as they may not be out there next season. His brother took it a step further, calling out the team’s game plan in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and saying Brandon could be playing with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Aiyuk put together the most productive season of his career in Year 4 as a professional. He caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, earning a spot on the All-Pro Second Team.
NFL News & Rumors: Brandon Aiyuk & San Francisco 49ers Updates
Entering the final year of his rookie contract, the 49ers will have a decision to make about the fifth-year option on his deal. It will be a no-brainer to exercise that, but the team will have to consider if Aiyuk can be part of their long-term plans.
Given how much money they are spending on other All-Pros on their roster, including fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel, it is fair to wonder if Aiyuk will be on the move this offseason. The 49ers are certainly benefitting from having a starting quarterback in Brock Purdy on a cheap rookie deal, as they can spent elsewhere on the roster.
Alas, things will eventually catch up to them and that could start this offseason. As uSTADIUM stated, Aiyuk’s cap hit will jump to $14 million in 2024. An extension will need to be worked out eventually that will cost even more money down the road.
If the 49ers don’t believe they can afford that, trading him this offseason does make sense sense. They would be able to recoup some excellent value, as Aiyuk would command at least a first-round pick in return on the trade market. That is certainly a better return than watching him potentially walk in free agency in 2025.
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