The most interesting player in the NFL right now is San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The All-Pro wants a new contract but the 49ers haven’t met his asking price and now Aiyuk may be traded.
According to an August 6 X post from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been engaged in trade talks for Aiyuk but nothing has happened yet.
One team that hasn’t been mentioned is the Las Vegas Raiders. The team already has a good wide receiver duo in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. However, Aiyuk is only 26 and could be a top receiver for several years to come. While there haven’t been any concrete rumors linking the Raiders to a trade for the wide receiver, the team did have a notable guest at their August 7 training camp practice.
NFL Network was at Raiders training camp and Mike Garafolo pointed out that Aiyuk’s agent was attending the practice.
According to Spotrac, the only Raiders player that Williams represents is offensive tackle Thayer Munford. He’s under contract through the 2025 season and it’s unlikely he’s going to get an extension right now. It seems odd that Williams would be at Raiders practice just to support Munford while he’s dealing with the Aiyuk situation.
It’s also possible that Spotrac doesn’t have all the information on every client Williams represents. Regardless, there are reasons why the Raiders could be a sleeper team to watch for Aiyuk.
Brandon Aiyuk Has Ties to Antonio Pierce
The Raiders don’t need a star wide receiver, especially one like Ayiuk who is looking for a massive contract. However, he’s got a strong connection to the franchise. Head coach Antonio Pierce was a recruiting coordinator at Arizona State while Aiyuk was playing there in 2018 and 2019. He previously spoke highly of the coach.
“That’s my dog. I was with him and got to spend time him with at Arizona State. I was super happy for him getting that job,” Aiyuk told KTNV in a February 11 interview. “He’s well-deserving and he’s going to do great for those guys.”
Aiyuk also grew up in Reno, Nevada, and has family in Las Vegas. Plus, Aiyuk’s close friend Draysean Hudson hinted on Instagram back in February that he’d like to see the wide receiver in Las Vegas.
While it’s still unlikely that Aiyuk will get traded to the Raiders, it’s at least a situation worth monitoring.
How Could Las Vegas Raiders Trade for Brandon Aiyuk?
The easiest trade the Raiders could make for Aiyuk is by sending the 49ers Adams. That’s a deal that makes a bit of sense for both sides. Adams is 31 and wants to win a championship. The 49ers were just in the Super Bowl so Adams would have a better chance to compete.
The Raiders would get a younger wide receiver in Aiyuk who they could build the offense around. If San Francisco doesn’t want to dedicate so much money to another wide receiver, Meyers could be appealing. He’s only making $11 million a season and has over 800 receiving yards in three straight seasons.
Meyers and a second-round pick could be enough to convince the 49ers to send Aiyuk to Las Vegas.
