There's one big reason the 49ers want to trade Brandon Aiyuk before April 1, and it has to do with money.
Last year, the 49ers paid Aiyuk more than $24 million to hold out of training camp, start the season not in football shape, pout even after getting the contract he wanted, wear the wrong shorts to practice and catch just 25 passes for 374 yards and 0 touchdowns in 7 games before tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus.
On April 1, if Aiyuk is still on the 49ers roster, they'll have to pay him an option bonus that will cost nearly $23 million. That's a check the 49ers don't want to write, considering he probably will miss games again next season, which is why they're desperately to move him.
But there's no guarantee another team will trade the 49ers a draft pick in the next few days just so they can write Aiyuk a fat check and watch him potentially miss some or most of next season as he rehabs from his gruesome knee injury.
So if the 49ers can't find a team to take Aiyuk's awful contract off their hands, they'll have to give him almost $23 million next Tuesday. And the 49ers don't seem to have tons of cash just lying around this offseason. That's why they've gutted their roster and drastically reduced their spending.
Which means if they have to give Aiyuk $23 million they don't want to give him, will they still have enough cash left over to extend Brock Purdy's contract this offseason?
Purdy's contract will be the richest one in franchise history. The 49ers might have to give him a signing bonus of more than $70 million. And they might not have that much cash after paying Aiyuk and purchasing a Scottish soccer team called Rangers FC this offseason.
That's why I expect the 49ers will trade Aiyuk. They might even send a team a draft pick to take him off their hands.
They're desperate.
