The Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors heated up even more after the San Francisco 49ers took a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, but it might be another star player who ends up being dealt.
The 49ers selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick in the draft. With Aiyuk seeking a new contract, there was immediate speculation that San Francisco’s decision to draft Pearsall could signal the end of Aiyuk’s tenure with the team.
According to Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, rival teams have been given the impression that the 49ers are more likely to trade their other star wide receiver, Deebo Samuel.
Samuel has two years remaining on the three-year, $73.5M extension he signed with the Niners prior to the 2022 season. Aiyuk is entering the final season of his rookie deal and will make roughly $14 million after San Francisco exercised his fifth-year option.
A report before the draft claimed the 49ers were exploring the possibility of trading Aiyuk or Samuel in order to move up in the first round. No trade materialized, so they stuck with their pick and took Pearsall. If nothing else, the dynamic playmaker gives them a great deal of flexibility.
The 49ers could now trade either Aiyuk or Samuel. They could also bring Pearsall along slowly, keep all three in 2024 and move on from Aiyuk or Samuel next offseason.
For what it’s worth, Aiyuk played with Pearsall at Arizona State. Aiyuk texted 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan on Thursday to compliment them on the Pearsall pick.
Aiyuk has been fairly open about his frustration with the 49ers in recent weeks. That is unlikely to change unless he gets a new deal. Now that Pearsall is in the mix, it is not out of the question that San Francisco will look to trade Samuel and his big contract and then sign Aiyuk to an extension.
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