The 5 Most Likely Landing Spots for Brandon Aiyuk After His Trade Request

One of the unresolved issues of the NFL’s offseason took a new twist on Tuesday when receiver Brandon Aiyuk, unhappy with the lack of a contract extension, reportedly requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s unusual for a player as good as Aiyuk to be available, if he’s available at all. Aiyuk had 75 catches for 1,342 yards last season in a loaded 49ers offense. Justin Jefferson recently signed a record-breaking $35 million-per-season contract , and while it’s unlikely Aiyuk will match that, his extension will be huge.

If Aiyuk does move, it would be a rare, seasonally-shifting transaction in mid-to-late July. Here are Aiyuk’s most likely landing spots:

San Francisco 49ers

There’s a reason Aiyuk wasn’t traded in the offseason. The 49ers are among the favorites to win the Super Bowl after losing him in overtime last season. Aiyuk is one of their best players. While Aiyuk is eager for a new contract and has earned one, he doesn’t have much leverage either. It seems like the most likely outcome is for the 49ers to play hardball with Aiyuk, who is expected to make just over $14.1 million on the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, and essentially force him to play for them this season. Aiyuk wouldn’t be happy, but his motivation would likely be to have a good season and hit free agency (or get the franchise tag, which would presumably lead to another round of contention).

The 49ers are a better team with Aiyuk. The draft picks they would likely receive in a trade wouldn’t help this season as they chase a Super Bowl. Just because Aiyuk asked for a trade doesn’t mean it will happen. San Francisco will likely do everything it can to make it work with Aiyuk for one more season, and hope his dissatisfaction doesn’t become a distraction in what could be a special season.

Aiyuk’s ties to the Commanders have continued throughout the offseason. He’s friends with Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels from their time together at Arizona State. According to OverTheCap.com, the Commanders have the second-most effective payroll in the NFL at just over $37 million. One potential problem is that the Commanders’ draft picks could be valuable next season — they were drafted second overall in April — and a rebuilding team might be hesitant to give up a big pick and a huge contract for Aiyuk. But if the 49ers move Aiyuk, the Commanders seem like the most natural fit. It’s got to be tempting to think of Daniels and Aiyuk growing together.

The Steelers have a significant need at receiver after trading Diontae Johnson. It’s basically George Pickens and not much more.

The team’s quarterback situation is uncertain long-term, but it’s a lot more attractive for any quarterback going forward if Aiyuk is on the roster. The Steelers have traded high draft picks for proven players before. Aiyuk himself has gambled that the Steelers could be a landing spot if he were traded. Pittsburgh also has one of the league’s top cap space in 2025 and 2026, so a big extension down the road wouldn’t be too hard for the Steelers to handle.

The Patriots pursued Calvin Ridley, but Ridley opted to sign with the Tennessee Titans. The Patriots haven’t raised big money at receiver in free agency. They have the most effective cap space in the NFL, at $43.8 million, according to OverTheCap.com. New England’s problem is similar to the Commanders’, in that their 2025 draft picks are likely to be early and they have too many holes in their roster to spend much draft capital. However, they need talent around rookie quarterback Drake Maye, and a true No. 1 receiver has been tough to come by. Aiyuk is just 26 years old and would be a nice addition to a New England offense in desperate need of playmakers.

Let’s get crazy. The Lions are gunning for a Super Bowl in the next season or two. Why not add a receiver who would be a great fit for Amon-Ra St. Brown? The problem is the cap. While the Lions are in good cap shape right now ($34.6 million in space), they signed huge deals to St. Brown, quarterback Jared Goff, and offensive tackle Penei Sewell this offseason. It’s hard to imagine how they could fit Aiyuk under the cap in the long run. But this is probably the sweetest fit of any team. Detroit has some questions at receiver outside of St. Brown, and Aiyuk would be an obvious answer. He would likely make the Lions a Super Bowl favorite. That seems highly unlikely, but one can dream.