49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk recently requested a trade. Before the draft, trade talks occurred.
The negotiations came about not because Aiyuk wanted out, but because the 49ers invited his representatives to explore whether another team would pay Aiyuk what he wanted in a long-term deal.
At the time, the magic number was around $28 million per year. That may very well have changed, given the Vikings’ market-changing deal with wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Still, we’re told there were five teams willing to pay Aiyuk what he wanted before the draft. If they could have also reached acceptable trade terms with the 49ers, they would have traded him.
That part didn’t happen. It’s unclear what the 49ers wanted at the time. They turned down an offer of a second-round pick from the Patriots. Other interested teams were, and possibly still are, the Steelers and Commanders.
A post-draft trade becomes problematic for the 49ers unless someone can offer a current player who will help the 49ers win in 2024. If the best offer includes 2025 draft picks, the 49ers might be tempted to take a hard line with Aiyuk, requiring him to complete the final year of his 2020 first-round rookie contract and then possibly tagging and trading him after the season.
Much of what happens will depend on how strongly Aiyuk asks for a trade. Will he skip training camp? Will he sit out well into the regular season, showing up in time to get credit for 2024 and paving the way for a 2025 exit?