Will Brandon Aiyuk Still be on the 49ers After the NFL Draft?

The NFL draft is a benchmark for when the 49ers could trade Brandon Aiyuk as it will be extremely unlikely they do so afterwards. Will he still be on the roster following the draft?

Oct 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

NFL draft week is finally here.

Soon the endless mock drafts and bold predictions for teams will come to an end. And quite possibly, so will the trade scenarios for Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers.

The best time for the 49ers to trade Aiyuk will be now and until the draft. It will make zero sense for them to send him packing afterwards. They need a draft pick for him that will be put to use for this season -- not beyond. So far, it is the Pittsburgh Steelers that have been the most linked team in looking to acquire Aiyuk.

So, will Aiyuk still be on the 49ers after the NFL draft?

I fully expect him to be. I see no reason the 49ers need to trade him. Trading Aiyuk, who is coming off an All-Pro season, would be insanity. He has continued to show improvement each and every year since he was drafted. This is the type of player the 49ers should be jumping at the gun to extend.

Retaining Aiyuk for the foreseeable future is also an investment in Brock Purdy. These two can potentially be one of the best duos in the league for years and years to come. For the 49ers to ruin that dynamic and the ascension of Purdy would be like shooting themselves in the foot.

Besides, I don't see how the 49ers will receive a trade package worth letting Aiyuk go. A first round pick is likely not going to be offered because Aiyuk will need to be extended to a lucrative deal. That is an unattractive package for a team looking to acquire him, which is why a day two pick is the best the 49ers will get.

Since a day two pick isn't worth it to let him go, the 49ers are better off retaining him. That includes the possibility of not being able to come to an agreement with Aiyuk on an extension. It is better to keep him for one more year and franchising him next year than letting him go for a second or third round pick.

Once the NFL draft has passed, trade scenarios should die down significantly. Then it will be all about whether Aiyuk and the 49ers will find common ground on a contract extension.