It’s not every day that a premier wide receiver demands a trade. But, that day came upon the NFL world on Tuesday, and one analyst thinks the New York Jets should jump on the opportunity to make the San Francisco 49ers rue making star wideout Brandon Aiyuk force his way onto the trade market due to contract disputes.
ESPN NFL Insider Dan Graziano had this to say about what Aiyuk could do for the Jets’ depth chart at receiver in an upcoming 2024 season carrying Super Bowl implications for the franchise (h/t Connor Long of Jetsxfactor.com):
“A pairing of Aiyuk and Wilson — along with young star running back Breece Hall — would give Rodgers as formidable a group of skill-position players as any in the league and would ease the team’s reliance on free agent signee Mike Williams to stay healthy,” Graziano writes. “New York’s 1,696 receiving yards from the WR room ranked 31st in the NFL last season.”
Jets: Brandon Aiyuk is a multi-faceted star wide receiver to consider amid trade request
Aiyuk would be a great receiver to fill a not-so-pressing need that evidently several members of the Jets’ offense acknowledge could make them better if addressed. The 6-0, 200-pound pass-catcher put his hands on full display in 2023. Aiyuk brought in 71.4 percent of his 105 targets for 75 receptions and 1,342 receiving yards, the latter of which being the seventh-most in the NFL. He also reached the end zone seven times.
The 26-year-old would gift the Jets with a superb route runner. Aiyuk produced 3.18 yards per route ran in 2023, which ranked No. 3 at the position. He also put up a contested catch percentage of 52.9 percent, which came in at No. 19 overall alongside a mere two drops. Able to play out of the slot as well as his role on the outside, the California native would be a good alternative option in the event that superstar wideout DaVante Adams takes a firm stance on wanting to tough things out with the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Jets have the money to make a play for Aiyuk and give him his desired extension
The Niners’ reluctance to extend Aiyuk at his desired price point ahead of the final year of his expiring rookie deal could backfire on them, despite their reported adamancy to hang onto their talented playmaker. The Jets have a mere $5.7 million in cap space for 2024 compared to the 49ers, who are sitting pretty with $31.4 million at their disposal. However, in 2025, a sharp vicissitude takes place, where New York’s cap space balloons up to $57.8 million and San Francisco’s plummets into a $38.9 million hole, per Over the Cap.
The Jets could move chess pieces to bring Aiyuk on board and give him the dollars he’s worth next winter or sooner. Should all else fail and the Arizona State product remain in the Bay without an extension by the time the 2024 campaign runs its course, chasing him in free agency could be a viable option as well, especially if the wide receiver room in New York falls short of expectations.
