The 49ers are conserving cap space for Brock Purdy’s imminent extension, and the Chargers Star is set to receive a $22.855 million option bonus on April 1. Therefore, if a franchise is prepared to pay that bonus ahead of him clearing his physical, they might be able to obtain him in exchange for a mid-round draft pick.
Keep in mind that The star suffered tears to his ACL, MCL, and meniscus last season and will probably miss a significant portion—or even most—of the upcoming season.
Interestingly, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton envisions the Chargers trading a third-round pick to the 49ers for Aiyuk.
“A playoff-caliber club with plenty of cap room is an ideal suitor for Aiyuk,” Moton writes.
He adds, “The Chargers boast $50.7 million in cap space and don’t require his immediate production. Los Angeles finished 11-6 last season with Ladd McConkey as its most dependable receiver. Once Aiyuk fully recovers, he could emerge as a more consistent deep threat than Mike Williams on the perimeter, while McConkey takes on the intermediate routes out of the slot.”
This trade scenario is quite compelling. Aiyuk appears to be a far better match for the Chargers than for the 49ers, as Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s strong arm can fully exploit Aiyuk’s capacity to stretch the field. In contrast, while Purdy is a competent quarterback, he is not known for his deep passing ability.
If the Chargers decide to offer their third-round pick for Aiyuk, I expect the deal could go through. However, I remain doubtful that any team will trade for Aiyuk—and pay his hefty option bonus—before he is back to full speed.
We’ll have to wait and see how it unfolds.
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