Should the 49ers Pay Brandon Aiyuk $30 Million Per Season

For a team to spend more than $30 million per season on a wide receiver, they'd have to commit themselves to throwing him the ball at least 150 times per season.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Mike Edwards (21) tackles San / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It has been reported for months that the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are far apart in contract negotiations, but it's been unclear why.

Now we see. Aiyuk probably wants at least $30 million per season, and the 49ers never have spent that kind of money on a wide receiver before. But it's the going rate for an All Pro wideout in 2024. Lions All Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown just signed a four-year contract extension worth $120 million. So Aiyuk's extension would have to be similar if not even more lucrative.

For a team to spend more than $30 million per season on a wide receiver, they'd have to commit themselves to throwing him the ball at least 150 times per season. St. Brown, for example, got 164 targets last season and 146 the season before that. That's why the Lions feel good about paying him all that money.

The 49ers are clearly hesitating, as they should, because they've never given Aiyuk more than 114 targets in a season. Plus he struggled in the playoffs, catching just 9 of his 20 targets just a few months ago.

So why should the 49ers give him $30 million per season? 75 catches per season shouldn't cost that money. They could replace 90 percent of his production for a quarter of the price. And if they trade Aiyuk and replace him with a rookie wide receiver, they still would have the best group of offensive skill players in the NFL.

Trading Aiyuk makes much more sense than paying him.