Brandon Aiyuk's trade market may be picking up as the 2026 season opens, according to Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox. Despite Aiyuk still sitting on the San Francisco 49ers' reserve/injured list, teams in desperate need of receiver support could look to the disgruntled pass-catcher as a cheap and easy way to upgrade their offense.
Knox sees two AFC teams as potential suitors for Aiyuk: the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots. The Ravens lost rookie Ja'Kobi Lane to a wrist injury for an indeterminate amount of time, while the Patriots lost A.J. Brown to injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain. Brown is expected to miss at least six games.
The price would be low: Knox valued Aiyuk at a conditional seventh-round pick. But that's all the
49ers would likely need to get rid of the player who they've indicated will never return to the team after an offseason of social media tirades directed at general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Aiyuk, 28, hasn't played since tearing his ACL and MCL in October 2024. He topped 1,300 receiving yards the last time he was healthy, which was back in 2023. The biggest issue with him is his contract, which would likely need to be reworked for a team to be interested in bringing him in.
This would be a low-risk move for either team and give the 49ers their first true off-ramp for the disgruntled receiver in some time. Will a trade actually happen? It's hard to say given Aiyuk's past and the fact he hasn't applied for reinstatement to the NFL. But after Week 1, the need for veteran receiver help is there for some teams.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL trade rumors: 49ers WR could be target for Ravens, Patriots
