The Detroit Lions are reportedly not in the market for another wide receiver, according to recent reports. However, an intriguing name could potentially be available as the start of training camp looms.
With around a week before teams begin hitting the practice field for fall camp, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has reportedly officially requested a trade. In the final year of his rookie contract, the 2020 first-round pick has been negotiating with the 49ers for the duration of the offseason.
There has been speculation about his future with the team since they lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl. After back-to-back 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons, Aiyuk has been in search of a new contract.
Aiyuk is a premier talent at the position heading into the 2024 season. He’s missed just one game over the last two seasons and has over 2,300 yards cumulative in that span. A big-bodied receiver, he fits a need the Lions currently have as an established receiver with good size.
The Arizona State product is owed $14.124 million in 2024 as a result of the team picking up his fifth-year option.
While it’s tempting to ponder the possibility of the Lions making a move for the talented wideout, it may end up being more harm than good in the long run.
For starters, the wide receiver market is high. The Lions know this well, having just signed Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year extension with an average annual value of $30 million. That deal was the biggest given to a wide receiver for exactly one day, when the Philadelphia Eagles surpassed that with their extension for A.J. Brown.
Reports have indicated that Aiyuk is seeking top of the market money. Just to acquire him in a trade, the Lions would have to part with valuable Draft capital as well as potentially an established player. Because the Lions have been so strong in the Draft under Brad Holmes, dealing away picks for a player on the final year of a contract would be unwise.
To make the deal work, the Lions would likely have to present Aiyuk with an extension. This would be another tough sell, as Detroit already has one top of the market wideout in St. Brown. Another potential candidate for an extension, Jameson Williams, has two years remaining if the Lions elect to pick up his fifth-year option.
By offering Aiyuk a hefty extension after acquiring him, the Lions would further damage the amount of cap space they have to pay all of their young talent. Players such as Alim McNeill and Taylor Decker are in the final years of their deals, while Aidan Hutchinson is extension eligible after this season.
Additionally, the Lions’ inactivity throughout the offseason in terms of adding players at the position has been somewhat telling. Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Antoine Green are all players with upside who had limited receiving opportunities a year ago.
Though landing Aiyuk would make the Lions a better team and heighten their chances to win the Super Bowl in 2024 right away, the long-term cost may outweigh the immediate reward. With how patient the Lions have traditionally been under Holmes, it’s hard to see the team cashing in the chips they’ve accumulated now.
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