The San Francisco 49ers' selection of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick does not indicate an imminent departure for Brandon Aiyuk. Let's make that clear right now. The 49ers remain focused on signing their veteran wideout to a long-term deal.
While ESPN's Bill Barnwell believes that Pearsall's selection could lead to the eventual parting ways with one of the 49ers' wide receivers, he points out another impact Aiyuk's former Arizona State teammate might have on his 2024 campaign.
"Aiyuk might be delighted to link up with a former teammate, but in the short term, adding another first-round pick to an already-crowded group of playmakers only makes it harder for Aiyuk to repeat his breakout 1,342-yard season from a year ago," Barnwell explained in a feature for ESPN.
Aiyuk led the 49ers in receiving yards last season, surpassing 1,000 for the second consecutive season and proving he can be a top receiver in the NFL. Aiyuk couldn't have picked a better time to have his most productive season, as it will only aid him at the contract negotiation table.
The 49ers reportedly received calls before and during the draft from teams inquiring about trading for Aiyuk. Multiple reports indicated that San Francisco sought a first-round pick for the wideout, and no offer intrigued them enough to consider moving on from him.
Aiyuk is scheduled to earn $14.124 million on a team-exercised fifth-year option. Understandably, he would prefer to secure his financial future with an extension.
Regarding Pearsall, while the first-year player isn't viewed as an eventual replacement for Aiyuk, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't replace someone. Deebo Samuel is slated to count $24.2 million against the salary cap in 2025, while Jauan Jennings is scheduled to become a free agent.
Barnwell concluded, "Pearsall might not be a direct replacement for Aiyuk in the short term, but his presence could indicate San Francisco expects to move on from one of its wideouts sooner rather than later."
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