While the San Francisco 49ers have nearly 30 players hitting free agency this offseason, they must also decide how to get rid of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the coming weeks.
Aiyuk tore his ACL in Week 7 of the 2024 season, and while he was on the PUP list to begin 2025, his contract protections expired when he stopped communicating with the team.
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Now, it’s clear Aiyuk won’t be on the roster next year, but will they release him or find a team willing to take the risk on a trade?
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report believes the New Orleans Saints are a team that could consider acquiring Aiyuk via trade. He projects it will cost him a sixth-round pick in 2026 and a conditional draft pick in late 2027 (based on game count and performance).
“New Orleans is currently trying to field the best lineup possible for Tyler Shaw. Having him Aiyuk as another option over Chris Olave would certainly qualify,” Ballentine wrote.
“The move would be a gamble. The draft compensation isn’t a lot, but the Saints also have to pay the receivers. However, if both parties can stay healthy, it’s a gamble that could result in one of the best receiver tandems in the league.”
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The 49ers don’t have a lot of power in trade negotiations, so they might be happy to get whatever they can in return for Aiyuk’s services.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), they’ve seen what their offense looks like without Aiyuk, but they still need to find a true top receiver in Brock Purdy in 2026 and beyond.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL Trades: Saints a potential partner for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
