Despite having star wide receivers such as Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk in their star-studded offense, the San Francisco 49ers couldn’t secure a victory in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. Although it was a heartbreaking moment for the whole team, it was particularly frustrating for wideout Aiyuk.
Shortly after, the rumors turned true and Aiyuk’s best friend confirmed his departure from the franchise. There is no specific reason per se stating why the fourth-year receiver is eager to part ways with the 49ers, despite logging his career-high 75 receptions for 1342 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in the regular season.
While talking about the 49ers’ failure at the big game, former NFL player and current analyst Bucky Brooks mainly criticized their receiving core. And he stood well on his words, as he once again voiced his firm opinions regarding the receivers, claiming Samuel and Aiyuk can’t win against elite corners.
Brooks said on 95.7 The Game:
It's been proven. Aiyuk & Deebo don't win against the elite corners 1v1...They can be elite WR's, but with the route-running part of it, particularly against press...The tape tells you they struggle against man teams . Bucky Brooks said
The biggest reason behind Aiyuk’s visible frustration is the franchise’s undying love for receiver Samuel, who was the starter for the Super Bowl game and Aiyuk could only register 3 catches for 49 yards. Another rising factor is the disparity of their salaries, as Samuel gets way more than Aiyuk even though the latter’s numbers are better.
NFL Analyst Bucky Brooks makes a case for Brandon Aiyuk to stay with Niners
If you ask Brooks, he wouldn’t support trading Aiyuk this offseason. During his appearance on the radio show, the NFL analyst suggested the Niners convince Aiyuk to play another season, as stated in his contract the option of a fifth year.
He said, hinting at increasing the contract with the quarterback:
After next year, they're gonna have to reset the entire program because after next year, they're gonna have to pay the quarterback. Bucky Brooks said
And as far as his contract is concerned, the 49ers would need to decide whether or not he is the No. 1 receiver, otherwise playing him extra on top of Samuel, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams would stretch its salary cap to the extreme.
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