NFL analyst proposes wild three-team trade that would let the 49ers without two offensive stars

The San Francisco 49ers have had a tense offseason, with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams holding in or out to demand new or adjusted contracts. But can you imagine the offense without any of them?

That's what would happen if this three-team trade proposed by NFL analyst Brett Kollmann happened. It's nothing serious or a report, just a fun idea worth discussing.

Bears side

The Chicago Bears would immediately get much better at left tackle with the top player at the position in the entire NFL. Williams is a perennial All-Pro, who can play at a high level both to run block and to pass protect.

General manager Ryan Poles would have to pay a 36-year-old player an adjusted contract, because Williams will hold firm, but it's relatively usual to see elite tackles playing well so late in their career. Getting a top player without giving up a first-round pick would be huge for Caleb Williams , even though there's obviously a risk involved.

Ravens side

The Baltimore Ravens would probably get the best of this deal. Brandon Aiyuk is a star, a potentially elite wide receiver, and he's young. The Ravens would have to part ways with a first-rounder, but this is probably a pick in the late 20s or even early 30s, so the impact is not that huge.

Adding a 26-year-old receiver coming off two 1,000-yard seasons would be amazing for Lamar Jackson. Moreover, he brings a physicality to the run game that you usually don't see with premier receiving weapons. Paying a wide receiver something close to $35 million per year is a tough collateral effect, but the Ravens do have enough flexibility to make it happen.

49ers side

This is where things get questionable. The 49ers would replace both Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk , which is a decent first step. However, going from Williams to Braxton Jones and from Aiyuk to Rashod Bateman is a huge, huge downgrade. Kyle Shanahan is probably smart enough to solve the wide receiver issue, but it has been proved extremely hard for the Niners to operate on offense without Williams at left tackle. Jones is a solid starter, but he isn't good to a point where he can compensate for the team's issues elsewhere on the offensive line.

The 49ers would get extra first- and second-round picks in the 2025 draft and save a lot of money by not paying Williams and Aiyuk. So long-term, it does make sense for the 49ers. However, the team knows the window is now, while quarterback Brock Purdy is still cheap. In a couple of years, maybe even next year, Purdy will get his extension and some pieces of the defense will start to get old — Fred Warner will be 28-29, Nick Bosa will be 27-28 throughout the 2025 season. It's really hard to keep a dominant defense in place for a long time.

In terms of value, the proposed trade could work for all sides. But it's really hard to pull a move like this off, with so many moving parts, in a conservative world like the NFL.

Related: Steelers, Browns, Patriots: Who has the most enticing offer to trade for Brandon Aiyuk with the 49ers