If the San Francisco 49ers decide to trade one of their star wide receivers, at least two AFC teams may want a chance to put together an offer.
There has been talk for weeks that the 49ers could trade Brandon Aiyuk, who is seeking a new contract and has been openly frustrated with the team. That speculation only grew after San Francisco selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Things then got even more interesting when a report on Friday claimed Deebo Samuel is more likely to be traded than Aiyuk. If the 49ers do entertain offers for Samuel, Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal says the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills will have interest.
Lot of talk about Brandon Aiyuk possibly being moved, but league sources indicate Deebo Samuel is more likely to be traded, and that two of the teams at the top of round two – Buffalo and New England – have interest in the player.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) April 26, 2024
The 49ers would probably want at least an early second-round pick in any potential trade for either Samuel or Aiyuk. Buffalo has the first pick of the second round at No. 33 overall, and New England has the second at No. 34. Both teams could also use help at wide receiver.
Samuel has two years remaining on the 3-year, $73.5 million extension he signed with the Niners prior to the 2022 season. Aiyuk is entering the final season of his rookie deal and will make roughly $14 million after San Francisco exercised his fifth-year option.
Niners general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Thursday night that they never rule any potential trade out, but they view it as “unlikely” that either Aiyuk or Samuel will be moved. However, it is worth noting that Samuel was reportedly unhappy with his role in San Francisco’s offense prior to signing a new contract two years ago. With another dynamic playmaker now in the mix in Pearsall, things could certainly get interesting again for the 49ers.
