Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers has made indications that he wants to leave the city, therefore the two-time
defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have been named as one of Aiyuk’s top trade targets.
With Aiyuk in the starting lineup, the Chiefs’ offense would “explode,” according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, who suggested
that Kansas City move Aiyuk to San Francisco in exchange for a 2024 first-round choice and a second-round pick.
Knox noted on February 15 that “Kansas City could certainly use a receiver of Aiyuk’s caliber.” “The Chiefs still don’t have a reliable
number-one wide receiver, despite Rashee Rice’s impressive rookie season. In the two years after Tyreek Hill was traded, tight end
Travis Kelce has taken up that position; but, Kelce will also turn 35 in October.
The Chiefs probably wouldn’t have any issues persuading Aiyuk of their circumstances. Andy Reid, the offensive mastermind, is still
sidelined, and Patrick Mahomes is still the quarterback. Even though Aiyuk may not have Hill’s raw speed, it’s not difficult to see him
contributing a similar amount to Kansas City’s attack.
What You Should Know About Brandon Aiyuk, 25: Aiyuk was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, 25th overall, out of
Arizona State.
Aiyuk’s performance in the NFL throughout his first two seasons was mediocre at best. In 12 regular season games during his rookie
year, he grabbed 60 receptions on 96 targets for 748 yards and 5 touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. He caught 56 passes on 84
targets for 826 yards and 5 touchdowns in his second season in the NFL.
In the 2022 season, Aiyuk caught 78 of 114 targets for 1,015 yards and 8 touchdowns, marking his first 1,000-yard campaign.
But Aiyuk really came into his own during the 2023 season. In the 16 games during the regular season, Aiyuk caught 75 of 105 targets
for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns, while the 49ers’ full-time starter was second-year quarterback Brock Purdy.
Aiyuk caught 9 of 20 targets for 149 yards and 1 touchdown in 3 games played during San Francisco’s recent postseason run, which
culminated with a loss to the Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl.
Aiyuk, who is 200 pounds and is 6 feet tall, uses exceptional explosiveness both off the line of scrimmage and when executing his
routes to get open. Although he only managed a 4.5 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, he is not very good at running
away from defenders, but his cunning as a route runner allows
Aiyuk is also capable of filling several receiver spots. According to PFF, he has spent 24.6% of his NFL career in the slot and 75.3% of
his snaps out wide.
Is Brandon Aiyuk a Good Fit for the Chiefs?
Aiyuk would be a great addition to Kansas City’s offensive in terms of scheme. As the first genuine alpha receiver for quarterback
Patrick Mahomes since Tyreek Hill arrived, Aiyuk might be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams, thanks to the schemes of
offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and head coach Andy Reid.
The Chiefs’ largest challenge would be overcoming Aiyuk’s contract. His 2024 cap hit is $14.1 million, according to Spotrac, and he has
one year left on his rookie contract. The issue is
Indeed, the Chiefs sold Hill two years ago because they were unwilling to pay the full price for him. However, Hill was requesting more
money than what Spotrac estimates Aiyuk to be worth (Aiyuk may be worth more or less in real life, but Spotrac’s market value is
within a range of possibilities).
Therefore, it’s possible that the Chiefs would agree to provide Aiyuk a contract extension worth more than $20 million annually if they
were to trade for him.
With $23.7 million in available cap space this offseason, Kansas City should have plenty of financial room to acquire Aiyuk, according
to Spotrac.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
