Should the Browns Trade For Brandon Aiyuk?
Let me start by answering the title's question outright: yes. Of course, general manager Andrew Berry should continue to add to what many around the league think is a top-5 roster in then NFL. And wide receiver, despite adding Jerry Jeudy in the offseason, is one of the positions most ripe to add to on the whole. So when the rumors, first from Cam Marino on Twitter ((Always Twitter, never X.)) then Mary Kay Cabot dropped a bomb of an article on us Sunday night asking “what would it take to land Brandon Aiyuk”, it sent many googling the San Francisco wide out and what, indeed, it might take to acquire his services. Since then the burners have reached “rolling boil” levels, as reports are that deals have been agreed to with both New England and Cleveland, it depends on where and how much Aiyuk wants to get paid.
So as we start out, let’s first look at why Aiyuk has requested a trade from the Niners, one of the best teams in the league. Aiyuk was a first round pick by San Fran in the 2020 draft, and while others in his draft class have outperformed him and thusly out-earned him with new extensions this offseason, ((Justin Jefferson and Michael Pittman got extensions, while CeeDee Lamb performed better and has not yet been extended.)) others have fallen by the wayside that were selected that same draft. ((Henry Ruggs is in jail, Chase Claypool has spent time on at least four different NFL rosters, and Jerry Jeudy is…in Cleveland…)). But 2023 was Aiyuk’s coming out party, though, as many players often go off in contract years: 1,342 yards, seven touchdowns, a 71.4% catch rate (14th among WRs), and a “yards per target” of 12.8 (2nd highest amongst all pass catchers). But he wants paid, as many others do, and with him playing this year on his fifth-year option at $14.1 million, the 49ers don’t have to make him an offer. Sure, they could, and we are about a month from Week 1, so a lot can happen between now and then. Reports are he’s asking upwards of $30 million, and while San Fran is tops in the league with effective cap space, 2025 is coming and they are projected to be $38 million over that number. Getting out ahead of a potential problem and adding to the future could be one strategy for the favorites in the NFC.
“But Cleveland is in a worse cap spot than San Francisco next year!”, you scream at whatever screen you’re reading this on. Absolutely they are. However, owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have seemingly given Berry the following edict: “burn that cash, we want a winner.” Cleveland routinely outspends any and every team in cash spending, meaning they dish out bonuses like Deadpool & Wolverine dropped F-bombs. The Browns are, in every way possible, prepared to go into 2024 as a “Super Bowl or bust” team, and trading for Aiyuk and signing him to a long-term extension to make him happy feels like one of those moves. The team is positioning 2024 and 2025 to be quarterback Deshaun Watson’s make-or-break years, because after 2025, his contract has a “this is gonna be a hell of a band-aid" rip” $65 million it could take in a dead cap hit, which is feasible but not preferred by anyone, and the 2025 season has some question marks on it with regards to the offense. Having Aiyuk signed and done and making pennies after cashing the signing bonus check would help.
There is a catch though, and “catch” being the operative word: they will not be able to spend their way through this transaction, as the Niners will likely require some form of player in return for Aiyuk plus picks, and all signs point to that player being Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Ah yes, the “you didn’t think it would be this easy, right?” Cooper has been everything for the Browns’ offense since coming over from Dallas in a trade not dissimilar to this Aiyuk situation. He did get an “extension” this year, as Cleveland put some incentives in his deal to give him a $5 million raise, and would slide right into head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense like a glove. His crisp route running is a thing of beauty and, for a team that also has Super Bowl sights, fits right in. The Niners are unlikely to trade Aiyuk for just salary relief and picks: they have cap space and, again, are in the upper echelon of teams in the NFL. Acquiring someone like Cooper, putting more emphasis on 2024, and ridding themselves of one less future cap problem would make this deal work for both sides.
Trading for Aiyuk feels like a positive for Cleveland: you get a longer-term deal done with a younger wide receiver who you can pair with almost anyone, Watson or not, and you don’t impact the bottom line and/or the production of the team much for 2024. Sure, we as fans won’t be able to shout “COOOOOPPPPP” 18 times a game as he dunks on opposing cornerbacks and safeties, but we would have a better idea of who’s going to stick on the roster long term. And if the deal is Cooper plus a pick, that’s not too hard to swallow. The real issue comes down to whether or not San Francisco is ready to get out from under this big top and move the circus elsewhere. They hold any and all leverage in this situation, because even if Aiyuk starts missing games, they already have all of that money baked in.
