Five teams that should be calling the 49ers about WR Brandon Aiyuk

After Brandon Aiyuk’s surprise admission on Monday that the San Francisco 49ers don’t want him back, it seems more possible than ever that the 26-year-old wide receiver could be traded sometime before the start of the regular season.

After back-to-back 75-catch, 1,000-yard seasons, Aiyuk’s trade value is pretty high, and if San Francisco does part ways with him, it’s likely looking at a pretty strong return.

Here are five teams that should be calling the 49ers with trade offers for the star wideout.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers made solid upgrades to the WR corps during the offseason in trading for Diontae Johnson and drafting Xavier Legette, but neither is even close to being on Aiyuk’s level. Legette is a rookie who presumably has a learning curve ahead of him, and Johnson has just one 1,000-yard season under his belt in five years and a concerningly high drop rate of 8.1 percent over his career.

If the Panthers really want to help second-year quarterback Bryce Young, adding a top-10-caliber pass catcher is the way to do it. It would also allow the Panthers to line Johnson up out wide and move Legette into the slot, where he played 35 percent of his snaps at South Carolina last season and saw strong success. A 1-2-3 of Aiyuk, Johnson and/or Legette/Adam Thielen is much more promising than what Carolina has right now. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Sure, the Chargers have spent top-64 draft picks in each of the last two drafts on receivers, but they can really make it up to QB Justin Herbert for trading his No. 1 WR Keenan Allen to the Bears and cutting his No. 2 Mike Williams in a cap-saving move by bringing in a talented downfield threat like Aiyuk.

Aiyuk's presence in the lineup would alleviate the pressure on both Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey to step into a role that could be too big for them right away, and he would give L.A. a legitimate No. 1 target with some solid depth players like Joshua Palmer, D.J. Chark and Brendan Rice. Playing with a gunslinger like Herbert, Aiyuk could put up All-Pro numbers in 2024.

New York Jets

The Jets were among three teams who reportedly tried to trade for Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson before the 2024 draft, so why not make a strong push for a pretty solid consolation prize like Aiyuk?

New York already has a 23-year-old star in Garrett Wilson, and the team could give him a 26-year-old running mate, who, in tandem, could wreak havoc on opposing defenses together. It’s pretty clear that the Jets are all-in on next season, and jobs could be on the line. Rolling with a WR group as deep as Aiyuk, Wilson, Williams, Allen Lazard and Malachi Corley, New York would arguably have the strongest WR corps in the NFL 1-5. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Of all the teams that are either interested or could be interested, Pittsburgh makes the most sense as a logical landing spot. With Johnson in Carolina, George Pickens slides into the de facto No. 1 role for the Steelers, but there’s not much else behind him. Calvin Austin III, Marquez Callaway, Van Jefferson and rookie Roman Wilson present the next-best receiving options, and they’re all better suited to be in a No. 3 or 4 role.

With the uncertainty the Steelers have at QB with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, adding a premier receiver like Aiyuk, who could shoulder the load as a 150-target deep threat, would be a big win for a Pittsburgh team with playoff aspirations.

Washington Commanders

How fitting would it be if Aiyuk was ultimately dealt to the Commanders to play with Jayden Daniels, his former college teammate and the close friend he confided in about the 49ers wanting to move on from him?

After losing Curtis Samuel to free agency, adding a player like Aiyuk to a group that includes Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson would give the Commanders the best WR trio in their division, and arguably the entire NFC. Washington has a lot invested in Daniels’ success, and reuniting him with Aiyuk would be a massive step in setting the rookie QB up for success.