It’s well known that the San Francisco 49ers could trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk during the 2024 NFL Draft if the two sides can’t work out a contract extension before then.
But could the 49ers possibly trade another one of their wideouts during the draft to accommodate a potential monster Aiyuk extension? That’s a resounding no, according to Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Samuel, who signed a three-year, $71.55 million extension before the 2022 season, has been assured by his bosses that he will not be dealt during or after the draft, according to a source familiar with the conversations,” Silver wrote.
Samuel went through a similar situation as Aiyuk two offseasons ago. He was reportedly put on the trade block ahead of the draft, and the 49ers entertained some offers for him but ultimately kept and signed him to an extension two months later.
The 26-year-old Aiyuk, who’s set to earn $14.12M in 2024 on his fifth-year option, is extension-eligible and likely looking to become one of the highest-paid WRs in the NFL.
Spotrac projects his market value at $24.9M per season, which would put him right behind Philadelphia Eagles receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith ($25M per year) as the fifth highest-paid WR in the league.
Aiyuk has unfollowed the 49ers on social media and made it known he values getting paid more than he does staying in San Francisco, but that hasn’t deterred general manager John Lynch, who remains bullish on getting Aiyuk locked up to a long-term deal.