Would Trading Brandon Aiyuk be a Mistake by the 49ers?

Trading Brandon Aiyuk is on the table for the 49ers as the NFL draft quickly approaches. Would it be a move that the 49ers come to regret should they pull the trigger on a trade?

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Will the San Francisco 49ers trade All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk?

That has been the main topic of discussion since the offseason started for the 49ers. Plenty of reports and mostly rumors have been put out there with little weight carried to them. So, it is tough to tell what will happen, but as of now the 49ers are putting it out there that they want to retain Aiyuk.

"Our wish is that he's here and a part of the Niners for the rest of his career, said general manager John Lynch. "We're working through that. As such, I was a player once and I never liked my business being out in the public. So I'm going to respect that. I'm not going to speak for their side. I can say we're having good talks and I'm just going to leave it at that."

Well, the 49ers have said that before when it came to DeForest Buckner and they ended up trading him. What the 49ers say at this time means nothing. However, it will all become clear once the NFL draft passes. The 49ers are extremely unlikely to trade Aiyuk after that, so the moment of truth occurs within the next two days.

If they do end up pulling the trigger on it, would trading Aiyuk be a mistake by the 49ers?

I really wanna say yes because Aiyuk has been an ascending player ever since he was drafted. That is exactly the type of player every franchise wishes upon when they draft in the first round. Not to mention that Aiyuk can grow together with Brock Purdy and establish themselves as a dynamic duo.

It makes all the sense in the world to retain Aiyuk for the long-term. However, the 49ers will only feel regret in the first year as no rookie can step in and fill the hole left by Aiyuk to perfection. If there is one thing I learned about the 49ers in the past year, it is that they are an offense that would benefit more from a stronger offensive line than a strong cast of skill players.

Having a strong offensive line allows the 49ers to be more efficient as a running offense AND allows Purdy to sit in the pocket more comfortably. Receivers are one of the easiest positions to fill, especially with an offensive minded head coach like Kyle Shanahan. He can mitigate the loss of Aiyuk with his play calling.

The only way trading Aiyuk would be a mistake beyond 2024 is if the 49ers actually leaned more towards being a passing offense with Aiyuk as an actual focal point. But so far, he hasn't been. Not consistently at least. There are always several games throughout the season where he takes over, but nothing more than that.

So long as Shanahan is running the show, he is going to want to run heavy with passing in spots or stretches. Aiyuk will never be used as the No. 1 guy in the offense on a consistent basis, which is why I don't see the 49ers giving him a deal that matches Amon-Ra St. Brown. It isn't so much that they can't afford it, but the value for what he does for them has to match.

I think the 49ers would be fine still without Aiyuk if they found a polished and immediate starter at receiver in the draft. Of course, that is a big if on the 49ers part since their drafting recently hasn't installed much confidence.