The 49ers don’t seem to know what to do with Brandon Aiyuk.
They want to keep him, but they don’t want to pay him what the wide receiver market says he’s worth. So the two sides are in a stalemate as they attempt to negotiate a contract extension.
Former Raiders offensive coordinator and play caller Tom Walsh thinks the 49ers should have traded Aiyuk before the draft. Here’s why.
WALSH: “He’s not utilized on the 49ers like he should be. From my perspective, he’s being wasted right now. I would have traded Aiyuk and gotten players and/or draft picks because he’s never going to be utilized and worth the amount of money they’re going to have to pay him for what he’s going to do in the 49ers offense because the 49ers offense is not designed to take advantage of what Aiyuk does best. That’s not a good fit. You might love the guy, but on game day, how many shot plays is he going to get? Not many. For what they’re going to have to pay him, that’s not worth it. But they could get something worthwhile for him if they trade him to Buffalo. Josh Allen would love to have Aiyuk in Buffalo.”
ME: Would Al Davis have wanted him?
WALSH: “Oh yeah. When Mike Martz, my former college classmate, was running the Rams, he had all those great receivers — Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt. Aiyuk would have fit right in with those guys. There’s no question about it. But on the Niners? They don’t get him the ball down the field enough.”