San Francisco 49ers star receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been the talk of the NFL offseason. After officially requesting a trade a month ago amid contract disputes, the rumor mill has been ablaze with talk wondering where Aiyuk could end up.
The moment that news broke, fans of every team were foaming at the mouth, salivating at the opportunity to snag a 26-year-old second-team All-Pro who just had, by some measures, the best year of his career. He would certainly be a welcome addition to most NFL teams.
As of Monday evening, the teams on the verge of trading for Aiyuk may have made themselves known. Here are the latest rumors surrounding the 49ers' star receiver:
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Browns, Patriots on verge of trading for Aiyuk
According to NBC's Matt Maiocco, the 49ers not only have trade partners in mind, but also have full trades drawn up and ready to go with both the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
According to the report, Aiyuk had already been told he could seek new contracts with the Browns and Patriots, as well as with the Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the deals were not in place with any of those teams. As of Monday night though, it appears the Browns and Patriots have jumped out in front of the Commanders and Steelers, piquing the 49ers' interest.
Who else would be involved in the trade?
Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot believes the Browns will put receiver Amari Cooper, 30, on the table in this trade.
"The Browns would undoubtedly have to give San Francisco five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper," Cabot says. "The 49ers could plug him into Aiyuk's spot as their No. 1 receiver."
While this is true, the 49ers have had immense success with their No. 2 receiver Deebo Samuel, who was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2021. Furthermore, the 49ers spent their first-round draft pick on Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall. The 49ers have proven capable of getting the most out of their receivers; even the team's No. 3 receiver from a year ago, Jauan Jennings, had his moment in the limelight, racking up 42 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, Maiocco reports the Patriots would be expected to include former 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne in any deal for Aiyuk. Should that deal come to fruition, it would likely include far more draft picks than the deal involving Cooper would.
Is the Aiyuk trade happening soon?
Potentially.
The deal is in Aiyuk's hands now. The 49ers have reportedly agreed to terms with both the Browns and Patriots. Either deal will happen if Aiyuk accepts his new team's contract offer. Maiocco reports that "Aiyuk could be seeking a deal in the neighborhood of $30 million annually," which would make him one of only five receivers with a contract worth $30 million per year, the other four being Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown.
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Aiyuk could still stay with the 49ers if he refuses the offers from both the Patriots and Browns. However, Aiyuk's dissatisfaction with the 49ers' handling of his contract has been well-documented. The two parties have not engaged in contract discussions for months, according to Maiocco, and Aiyuk is only set to make $14.124 million this season on his rookie contract.
Regardless of Aiyuk's team, he is not expected to participate in summer training camp activities until his contract situation is figured out.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors: Latest news surrounding 49ers star receiver
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