Brandon Aiyuk Has Ties to Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders could embrace a youth movement with Antonio Pierce taking over as head coach. One of the older players on the roster is wide receiver Davante Adams, who is 31.
He has four straight seasons with over 1,100 receiving yards so he’s not showing signs of slowing down but there’s a way the Raiders could get younger at the position while still having a strong wide receiver corps. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report pitched a “dream” trade scenario for the Raiders that involves moving on from Adams.
“Regardless of who is under center, though, Las Vegas will need to support its quarterback with a strong supporting cast,” Knox wrote in a February 20 column. “In a dream scenario, they flip 31-year-old Davante Adams to another team—like the Jets—and make a subsequent deal for 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
“Aiyuk, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, could be on the move if the 49ers decide they can’t afford to extend him. He does not appear to be adamant about remaining in San Francisco.”
Aiyuk has been dropping hints that he’s ready to move on from the San Francisco 49ers and he’s only 25. Plus, he had 1,342 receiving yards in 2023, which is more than the 1,144 that Adams accumulated.
Brandon Aiyuk has started to get linked to the Raiders more often recently due to his ties to Antonio Pierce. He was at Arizona State while Pierce was a linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at the program. In a February 11 interview with KNTV, Aiyuk referred to Pierce as his “dog.”
It’s also worth noting that the wide receiver is from Reno, Nevada, and has family in Las Vegas. The Raiders make a lot of sense for Aiyuk, especially since he doesn’t appear to have a long-term future in San Francisco. However, wide receiver isn’t a need for Las Vegas.
Aiyuk is going to be in line for a big payday soon after an impressive 2023 season. The Raiders already have over $52 million in salary cap dedicated to Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow going into next season.
The team could cut Renfrow to save some money but trading Adams may be necessary if the Raiders want Aiyuk.
On the surface, essentially swapping Davante Adams for Brandon Aiyuk makes sense. The latter is an ascending young player while the former is getting closer to the age where wide receivers start to lose a step.
That said, Adams is a very hard worker and a team captain. He’s the type of player who should play at a high level for at least a few more years. If the opportunity does arise to add Aiyuk, it will be a tough situation to figure out. Adams has been one of the team’s best players over the past two seasons and specifically wanted to play for the Raiders. He grew up a fan of the team and has been a pro since joining.
