It looks likely that Brandon Aiyuk will be traded in the coming days, as multiple teams, including the Cleveland Browns, have shown interest in the star wide receiver. Any team that trades for Aiyuk will have to give a package that interests the San Francisco 49ers, as they’re looking to win a Super Bowl this season.
Trading Aiyuk doesn’t help with that, but if they get a player back in return who could make an impact, they could look to make the deal. So, who could the Browns trade in a deal with the 49ers for Aiyuk? Cory Kinnan of Browns Wire looked at who the Browns could send to the 49ers, including offensive tackle Jack Conklin.
“The caveat here is that Jack Conklin is still on the Physically Unable to Perform list and would need activated before he could be dealt,” Kinnan wrote on August 6. “However, with the emergence of Dawand Jones and the fully guaranteed fifth-year (and restrucutured contract) of Jedrick Wills, the Browns have their starting offensive tackles.
“Meanwhile, the 49ers have a massive gap at the right tackle position. While Conklin has had a great deal of injury history throughout his career, he has been nothing but solid when on the field. Could the appeal of bookending their offensive line with Trent Williams and Conklin be of intrigue for the Niners?”
Moving a two-time All-Pro offensive lineman would bring worries to the Browns offensive line, but Conklin has played in just 22 games over the past three years. His health issues make him tradeable, but it could also be why the 49ers don’t want to trade for him. They’d be banking heavily on him having a healthy season, which is also a risk due to his four-year, $60 million contract.
49ers Have Aiyuk Trade Framework With Browns
According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, the San Francisco 49ers gave permission to Aiyuk to negotiate potential contracts with the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Washington Commanders, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maiocco reported on August 6 that the 49ers had negotiated the “framework” of an Aiyuk trade with the Browns, and it’s now his decision if he’ll accept a contract from them.
“The 49ers have negotiated the framework of trades that would send wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Cleveland Browns or the New England Patriots, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Monday night.
“Now it’s up to Aiyuk to determine if he will accept the contract terms from either of those franchises, the source said,” Maiocco wrote.
Aiyuk’s Fit With the Browns Is Clear
Adding Aiyuk to the Cleveland Browns offense would give them another playmaker who could make things easier for Deshaun Watson.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on August 5 that the Browns would “undoubtedly” have to give the San Francisco 49ers Amari Cooper because the 49ers could use him in a similar way they use Aiyuk. That’s something they have to think about, as adding Aiyuk next to Cooper would give them arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL.
Moving someone like Conklin could be the better idea due to his injury history, but the 49ers will have the final say.
Regarding his fit on the roster, Aiyuk has posted over 1,015 yards in each of the last two seasons, including a 1,342-yard and seven-touchdown campaign last year.
Watson has struggled during his time with the Browns, but adding Aiyuk next to Nick Chubb, Cooper if they could keep him around, Jerry Jeudy, and others would be a recipe for success on paper.
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan
