If the San Francisco 49ers were a money crunch before free agency began, they are in an even bigger one right now.
When April 1st rolls around, star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is owed over $22 million as a roster bonus for being with the team. After a nasty contract negotiation last season that saw Aiyuk miss the first game of the season, the 49ers are looking for any way to move on from their former first-round pick.
Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs after a catch against New York Jets cornerback Michael Carter Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
That’s something The Athletic’s Dianna Russini has made very clear at this time on her podcast when talking about the 49ers offseason plans.
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“The 49ers have incentive to move Brandon Aiyuk before his April 1 payday,” Russini said. “They’ve gotten some calls about him. We know that they signed him to a new contract last summer and we all know the drama that came with that. It’s a $22.855 million roster bonus. There’s some chatter that perhaps they’re going to move him and that teams are interested.”
If the 49ers eventually moved on from the wideout, what exactly would a trade look like?
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Last offseason, San Fran almost had a deal in place with the Pittsburgh Steelers that would have given a first round pick back to the 49ers. Instead, the team kept the receiver and locked him up to a $120 million deal.
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It’s extremely unlikely the 49ers will be able to get a similar price for Aiyuk again. Not only is his contract something other teams will have to battle, but Aiyuk is coming off a torn ACL so his recovery isn’t guaranteed.
Aiyuk is one of the better receivers in football, but a post-injury recovery like an ACL injury will bring pause to many organizations in need of a receiver.
Related: Niners Get Receiver Clarity After Stefon Diggs Signing
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