The drama between Brandon Aiyuk and San Francisco has just reached its next phase, with the former requesting a trade. Just last season, 49ers fans beheld a one-two punch at the wide receiver position with Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. But whether or not they still will in a few months remains to be seen. While both parties strategize for the upcoming weeks, teams around the league have tuned in with the hopes of enlisting Aiyuk’s talents.
Here are some potentially good places where Brandon Aiyuk can continue to flourish.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a seismic impact earlier this offseason when they managed to sign both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields without giving up very much to do so. The Steel City can continue to put their division rivals on notice if they can bring in Aiyuk as well. Wilson has plenty to work with in Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens. But adding another weapon like Aiyuk could really open the field and give the aerial attack a significant boost. Who knows? Aiyuk can take up the mantle at the top of the depth chart before long.
Hopefully, the black and yellow won’t have to forfeit a king’s ransom to pull it off.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals spared no time in gathering playmakers for Kyler Murray, drafting Marvin Harrison Jr., and signing Xavier Weaver. Though the room is still not exactly stacked, a veteran like Aiyuk can command the room and rejuvenate an otherwise stagnant offense. Aiyuk and Trey McBride can set the tone early in the upcoming season if they build the right chemistry. But it will be interesting to see if the Arizona front office has the resources ready to go for it.
It still sounds farfetched for San Francisco to give a formidable weapon to a division rival. But only time will tell how it will unfold.
New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, and Chris Olave are no doubt the stars of the Big Easy’s offense. But as missing the playoffs last year has proven, more work has to be done. Adding Brandon Aiyuk to the mix can not only get pressure off of Kamara but also expand the field for Carr. Olave and Aiyuk can form a dynamic duo on either side of the hash marks. But San Francisco’s potential trade demands may be out of reach for New Orleans, and the latter may be hesitant to give up valuable assets.
If they land the trade successfully, the Saints can finally make that push back into playoff contention.
Washington Commanders
If Aiyuk wants to seize that chance to be a #1 wide receiver, perhaps the nation’s capital can be a great place to start. Washington is still in the midst of sprouting into a new era. But this should grant Aiyuk the opportunity to become a leader and form a potent combination with Austin Ekeler and Terry McLaurin. Heisman Trophy Winner, Jayden Daniels, can definitely benefit from another veteran to rely on when things get dicey.
In the meantime, where these talks go from here is still up for debate. All that there is left to do is wait.
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