Two Reasons the 49ers Had to Extend Brandon Aiyuk

The 49ers' decision to extend Brandon Aiyuk is a no-brainer. Here are two reasons why they had to do it.

Dec 3, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) catches touchdown pass against Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

It took longer than expected, but the San Francisco 49ers finally extended Brandon Aiyuk. He gets a deal that perfectly illustrates his value among receivers in the NFL.

Trading him was never going to be a real option for the 49ers. The only options were to let him play out the final year of his rookie deal or extend him. But really, the 49ers had to extend Aiyuk and there are two reasons for that.

Investing in the quarterback

An investment in Aiyuk is an investment in the quarterback. Brock Purdy gets his best wide receiver locked in for the next four years. He will be able to grow with Aiyuk to establish themselves as a strong duo in the league. There is also the hope that Purdy can improve having a receiver like him.

Even if Purdy doesn't improve by much, it makes no sense to get rid of his best weapon. Especially since there isn't a clear replacement for Aiyuk. Every good quarterback needs a sweet receiver at their disposal. Having Aiyuk extended ties him together with Purdy to give themselves a consistently strong floor for the 49ers' offense.

First-round draft pick whiffs

Undeniably, the 49ers are atrocious when drafting players in the first round. They have a knack for consistently whiffing there. That is what makes extending Aiyuk a necessity. He is the first player that the 49ers have successfully hit on in the first round. And no, Nick Bosa doesn't count. The 49ers don't get credit for having him fall into their laps.

Solomon Thomas, Rueben Foster, Mike McGlinchey, Javon Kinlaw, and Trey Lance. These are the players the 49ers completely whiffed on. None were good enough to stay on the 49ers via an extension or didn't even finish out their rookie contracts. Aiyuk is a player who is their outlier, so the 49ers couldn't let their first first-round draft success walk.