It’s becoming more complicated with each new report! Earlier, it was reported that Brandon Aiyuk’s holding in the camps was leading to growing tensions between him and the San Francisco 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan.

“Coach Tomlin they saying we twins. What you think?” With this tweet on his official X account, many speculated that the wide receiver now doesn’t want to stay with the 49ers, as he is eyeing a spot with the Steelers. But here’s a catch! According to former NFL player Mark Sanchez, Aiyuk wants to stay with the Niners.

Is Brandon Aiyuk the best that the 49ers have?

In a recent episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd on August 8, 2024, Mark Sanchez joined Cowherd’s show to discuss Brandon Aiyuk’s situation with the 49ers, emphasizing the financial and strategic aspects of the WR’s contract. Sanchez mentioned that Aiyuk might be frustrated after seeing Christian McCaffrey get a pay raise, while Aiyuk himself is left with a much lower fifth-year option worth $14.1 million. The comparison shows how much less Aiyuk is set to make, which is a big deal considering the risks involved, like potential injuries.

Hinting that Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers are making unreasonable offers to Aiyuk, the former NFL star said, “There is the business side, there’s the dollars and cents side, and so you got to deal with that animal. So, I think if you’re saying, play for 14.1 and you know shut up and play ball, stop whining. Will you play for 14.1? Let’s say he has the exact same numbers as last year then he gets tagged then what you make 23, 24, 25 maybe, but on a one-year deal now you’re just playing one-year deal and gambling on any injuries.”

Sanchez suggests that if Aiyuk were solely focused on money, he could have gone to a team like New England and signed a massive contract. But he didn’t. This means he wants to stay if given a good amount. Sanchez further believes that Aiyuk is a key player who helps the 49ers’ offense thrive, especially against man coverage. To prove his point, he projected a table of yards and catches from last season, comparing him to Tyreek Hill.

He stated, “Last year he had, I want to say, 75 receptions. 68 of those receptions were first downs or touchdowns, seven receptions were not moving the chains or giving your team six points, that’s something to think about. Look at all the players he is, look at the company he’s in and then look at the amount of targets. Look at his production if he just gave him the numbers that Tyreek Hill has, give him 171 catches he’d have two 2,000 yards. So if you’re telling me he’s not worth it, I don’t know.”

Not only that! Sanchez further illustrated his point by comparing Aiyuk’s situation to buying a Ferrari. He mentioned that even if you only plan to drive it a few days a week, you still have to pay the full price because it’s a high-performance vehicle. Similarly, Aiyuk’s contributions to the 49ers are crucial, and replacing him might not be easy.

Will there be repercussions after Brandon Aiyuk’s potential exit?

Brandon Aiyuk is at a crossroads, with his potential trade sparking heated debates. But if he exits, what will happen to the 49ers? Yes, there are repercussions for that. A former 49er, Richard Sherman’s recent remarks suggest that he’s not impressed with what’s being offered in return. Sherman admired Aiyuk’s grit but doubted if Amari Cooper, who is rumored to be part of this trade, might struggle to match. The former NFL player said, “He [Cooper] fits in some ways into [49ers coach Kyle] Shanahan’s offense, but in other ways, he doesn’t. Brandon Aiyuk blocks his butt off every single play. You’ve seen viral clips of him blocking 60, 70 yards down the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers and in numerous other games. And that’s just the culture in San Francisco. That’s something Amari Cooper would have to adjust to.”

Additionally, he mentioned that Aiyuk’s exit would put extra pressure on players like Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and others, forcing them to step up in ways they might not be ready for. It is also evident from the fact that Aiyuk’s teammates, especially Nick Bosa, also admitted that losing the WR would be a ‘huge blow‘ for the team. Although he trusts Shanahan and the 49ers, Bosa mentioned that Aiyuk “is a very tough player to replace.” So this means the 49ers should plan something accordingly.

Until then, Kyle Shanahan also knows the difficulty of replacing such a talent. He informed the media that he is already preparing for the worst-case scenario. Shanahan admitted that the team might have to move forward without Aiyuk, as he concluded, “You always got to be ready for ‘next man up,’ and we’re preparing for that every moment.”