Paying big for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk — whether it’s the Browns, Patriots or Steelers — is worth it

The NFL appears to be on the precipice of a monster trade that has the potential to shift the league’s power dynamics. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has made it clear all offseason that he wants a new deal that will make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL. From posting Jayden Daniels clips to obscure social media posts, Aiyuk has been uncommonly loud as he tries to get his new deal, which now may come from a team that’s not the 49ers.

As the trade rumors swirl and it appears that Aiyuk will be on a new team for the 2024 season, one thing should be made clear about the eventual trade — Aiyuk is worth the heavy price that a club will pay to get him.

The Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots are at the forefront of reported teams in talks with the 49ers for Aiyuk’s services. Later on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t out of the running for Aiyuk. Whoever lands Aiyuk, it won’t come cheap.

Like previous trades involving stars on expiring deals like Jalen Ramsey and Montez Sweat, not only will one of those teams have to trade high-level assets for Aiyuk, the franchise will also have to pay him a market-rate contract. If Aiyuk continues to be the player he has been during his time with the 49ers, that’s a fine price to pay. He’s one of the most explosive wide receivers in the league and has been transformational for San Francisco. Aiyuk can beat man coverage, get open deep and convert big plays with a level of efficiency most wide receivers can only dream of.

Aiyuk also turned only 26 years old this year, so it’s feasible that the team who acquires him will be able to sign him to another extension as he hits his 30th birthday. There’s so much value here in acquiring Aiyuk, even with the cost. According to Sports Info Solutions, Aiyuk ranked first in expected points added per target (0.63), first in points earned per route run (0.104), first in percentage of targets turned into positive expected points (69.2%) and second in wins above replacement (1.2) among the 79 receivers with at least 75 targets last season. That’s a lot of numbers thrown out here, but it paints the picture of a player who is already among the best in the NFL with plenty of time left in his prime.

Both the Patriots and Browns make sense for Aiyuk. The Patriots just spent the third overall draft pick on quarterback Drake Maye and they’ve been fairly aggressive at trying to get pieces for him. For a team that just picked in the top five of the NFL Draft, trading away a future first-rounder would be risky, but Aiyuk being paired with Ja’Lynn Polk could be the receiver core that Maye needs to get off to a fast start. It’s incredibly early, but if the Patriots truly believe in Maye, they should figure out a way to make this happen.

The Browns would likely have to send back Amari Cooper, which is attractive for the 49ers. Aiyuk would make Cleveland younger at wide receiver while giving Deshaun Watson an upgrade on the outside. If the Browns are ever going to get the most out of Watson and his contract, getting a player like Aiyuk under contract for the next few years is a good way to do that.

The 49ers are a bit hamstrung due to cap reasons and a looming, massive contract for Brock Purdy, but they have prepared themselves a bit for this moment. Even without Aiyuk they still have an elite group of offensive players and they just spent a first-round pick on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. It’s unlikely that he develops into the player that Aiyuk has become, but that’s at least a contingency plan for losing one of the best wideouts in the league.

Now, it’s time to wait for a trade. Aiyuk is going to cost a lot, but he’s worth it. The fact that the 49ers have held on so long shows his value and they’re about to cash in on that in what will be one of the biggest moves of the offseason.