The 49ers asked for the Jaguars No. 17 overall pick and Zay Jones, but the Jaguars soured on the deal.
Last week, a report surfaced that there was mutual interest between San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s camp and the Jacksonville Jaguars, who recently lost Calvin Ridley in free agency to the Tennesee Titans.
One reason the 49ers would shop Aiyuk is that his asking price is higher than they would be willing to pay. So, instead of forking out cash for the receiver they developed into an elite weapon at a premier position, they’d flip him for a first-round pick, draft his replacement, rinse, wash, and repeat.
Niners fans found out about Mia O’Brien — the reporter who initially tweeted about Aiyuk and the Jaguars — leading to O’Brien clarifying the potential trade between San Francisco and Jacksonville:
As I noted on #XLPrimetime: #49ers reportedly would’ve wanted No. 17 overall + Zay Jones. Then #Jaguars would have to pay Aiyuk. So, fizzling out.
(hopefully this tweet will stop all the random Niners fans who have Facebook friend requested/IG DM’d me in the last 4 days) https://t.co/jm3pEXXxM2
— Mia O’Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) March 18, 2024
Here’s how I interpreted Mia’s tweet: The 49ers asked for the Jaguars first-round pick in this year’s draft, which is No. 17 overall, and wide receiver Zay Jones — a 6’2, 200-pound veteran receiver entering the final year of his contract.
Jacksonville soured on the idea of surrendering a first-round pick and giving Aiyuk north of $23 million annually, and the trade fell through.
Whatever O’Brien was responding to was deleted, but her tweet doubles down on the notion that the 49ers are either picking up the phone or listening to offers involving Aiyuk, as they should.
Instead of downplaying reports like this, I’d look at them through the lens of imagining everything we don’t know or the news that never sees the light of day. Would I trade Aiyuk? Absolutely not. Is there a deal out there that would change my mind? Without hesitation, yes.
This is a business, and the 49ers must act in the team’s best interests in 2024 and the foreseeable future. That means they’ll weigh all their options, from asking their high-priced defensive tackle to take a pay cut to trading their ascending star receiver.
About the Author: Insidethe49
