Brandon Aiyuk: Why the 49ers Insist He’s Untradeable as the Trade Deadline Nears

When the NFL’s June 1 trade deadline starts to feel like a ticking clock, most teams are busy lining up pieces, negotiating deals and, occasionally, cutting losses. Not the San Francisco 49ers, though. According to sources close to the organization, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is being treated as essentially untouchable.

It’s not that the 49ers are being overly sentimental about the guy they drafted in the first round of 2020. It’s more pragmatic. Aiyuk has blossomed into a reliable play‑maker who can stretch the field, create separation and, on a good day, turn a routine catch into a highlight‑reel gain. In 2023 he posted career‑best numbers – 61 receptions, 1,018 yards and four touchdowns – all while staying relatively healthy. That kind of production doesn’t sit quietly on the trade market.

Adding to the equation is the financial reality. Aiyuk’s contract, signed in 2022, carries a hefty $23 million cap hit for the upcoming season. If the 49ers were to flip him, they’d have to find a partner willing to take on that sizeable salary, or at least a significant portion of it. In today’s market, where many teams are already tight against the cap, that makes a potential trade partner scarce.

Coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch have reportedly discussed the situation at length. The consensus? Keep Aiyuk, plug the holes elsewhere, and try to lock him down with a longer‑term deal when the season is under way. Both men understand that losing a primary receiver at this stage could cripple an offense that already relies heavily on short‑passing concepts and Y‑shifts.

That said, rumors continue to swirl. A few clubs have reportedly reached out to San Francisco, tossing around the idea of a package that might include draft picks or a younger receiver in exchange. The 49ers have rebuffed those overtures, emphasizing that Aiyuk’s talent, combined with his contract, makes any return insufficient.

In short, while the rest of the league scrambles for assets, San Francisco is playing a different game: protecting the pieces it believes are essential to its championship aspirations. Whether that strategy pays off will only become clear when the final whistle blows on the regular season.