Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors have picked up after the 49ers receiver reportedly asked for a trade after failing to negotiate a contract extension. With Aiyuk now one of the top names on the trade market, the question will be which teams would be interested in making a trade. Betonline.ag posted odds of which teams the 49ers receiver would be on in 2024, if not San Francisco. The Cardinals have the seventh-highest odds at +1000.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The teams listed ahead of the Cardinals include the Pittsburgh Steelers (+350), Jacksonville Jaguars (+600), Indianapolis Colts (+650), Los Angeles Chargers (+900), and New England Patriots (+950).
Since entering the league as a top draft choice in 2020, Aiyuk has caught 269 passes for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in four seasons. He’s coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, including a career-high 1,342 yards in 2023. He was named a 2nd Team All-Pro following his 2023 season.
Not only would a team need to part with draft assets and players but also extend him to facilitate a trade. Such a move does not make sense for the Cardinals, who still need to evaluate their roster and determine if they have the right pieces to build with. They’re coming off a 4-13 season with Kyler Murray finally healthy and having enough talent around him to be properly evaluated as the starter moving forward. Of course, this assumes the 49ers would be willing to trade one of their top players with a division rival.
The Cardinals already made a high-profile addition to the receiver room in the offseason, using the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to select Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State. Harrison was the consensus top-ranked receiver in a deep class, thanks to his 6’3″ height, speed, and excellent route-running abilities. He has the makings to be an elite No. 1 receiver, and depending on how quickly he adapts to the Cardinals playbook is a top candidate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Once they figure out what they have with Murray, and he proves to be a healthy and capable starter, that’s when they can start making aggressive moves to land top-flight talent that will push them over the top as a contender. That would be the appropriate time for them to target a top receiver like Aiyuk to try to push them over the top and win the NFC West. Assuming he plays for San Francisco in 2024, he would likely get the franchise tag and we will revisit this situation a year from now.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
