Could Brandon Aiyuk become a Giants trade target?
Is San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the New York Giants’ radar?
He very well could be. While the media and some fans are beating the drum for a reunion with former Giants stud Odell Beckham Jr. (including co-owner John Mara), general manager Joe Schoen could have his eye on younger players with more future upside such as Aiyuk.
#49ers have received interest in Brandon Aiyuk from teams hoping they can trade for him. But Niners intend to keep Aiyuk.
They could find themselves in a situation next offseason where they can’t afford two high end WRs (like OT this year) but those decisions will/can wait.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) March 27, 2023
Niners general manager John Lynch, of course, is playing hardball with a valuable asset such as Aiyuk and even plans to pick up his $14.1 million fifth-year option for 2024 to assure outsiders he’s committed.
“It probably makes sense to do that,” Lynch said recently. “We’re excited about watching Brandon move forward with us.”
That doesn’t mean they won’t trade him if the right offer comes along.
As Wagoner states above, the Niners could find themselves long on high-paid receivers in 2024 and it won’t be so easy to move one of them when that happens. Deebo Samuel has cap hits of $28 and $24 million over the next two seasons.
The Giants could easily trade for Aiyuk and get him down to a reasonable cap number with a contract extension.
Aiyuk caught 78 of his 114 targets (a 68.4% catch rate) for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns last season, leading the 49ers in both receptions and receiving yards.
The Giants have been loading up their offensive arsenal this offseason but still lack outside deep threats. Aiyuk would line up nicely for the Giants on the outside.
The Giants select 25th overall in the 2023 NFL draft and could be on the outside looking in when it comes to the top wideouts in the upcoming class.
