Star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has officially requested a trade after months of failed contract negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk potentially hitting the trade market is great news for teams who do not have a true WR1, like the LA Chargers.
The New England Patriots have been circled as an early candidate for Aiyuk as the team has already reached out to San Francisco with a trade inquiry. The Pittsburgh Steelers have also been circled as a team that could make a run at Aiyuk on the trade market.
While both New England and Pittsburgh have good cases to make for Aiyuk, the real dark horse in this trade saga is the Chargers.
Why the Chargers are a perfect dark horse for a Brandon Aiyuk trade
The Chargers represent the perfect intersection of where opportunity meets need. The Chargers have a real need for a true WR1 and now have an opportunity to add that with the resources to make it happen.
As bad as the cap situation was this offseason, the books are rather clean for the Bolts in the immediate future. Los Angeles can absolutely afford to trade for Aiyuk and sign him to a new contract that starts with the 2025 season. The Chargers have $42.9 million in projected cap space in 2025 and $151 million in 2026, per Over The Cap.
The timing of trading for Aiyuk also makes a lot more sense for the Chargers than it does the Patriots and Steelers. While both teams could use a guy like Aiyuk, they do not necessarily need him this season. The Patriots don't need to turn it around right away and the Steelers still have other talented receivers on the roster.
Both teams can afford to wait it out and see what free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft hold. Jim Harbaugh is not someone who wants to lose games, so if he can accelerate the winning process in 2024 by trading for Aiyuk he might just do that.
Plus, the Chargers have a bigger security blanket than the Patriots or Steelers. Aiyuk will likely warrant a package headlined by a second-round pick, but the 49ers might be able to talk that up into being a conditional first-round pick.
If Aiyuk hits certain benchmarks then the traded pick could be a first-round pick in 2025. If he doesn't the pick will automatically be reverted to a second-round pick. These deals have become more common in recent years in the NFL.
Aiyuk could put up massive numbers for the Patriots or Steelers and both teams could still end up being below .500 because of their roster. Both teams have a much higher chance of having to give up a pick in the first half of the first round if this is the case.
However, if Aiyuk has an incredible season on the Chargers then there is a slim chance the Bolts will have a losing record. Los Angeles has the perfect head coach/quarterback combo to win with an easy schedule. If Aiyuk comes in and produces Pro Bowl numbers then the Chargers would be 9-8 at worst.
This suddenly takes the Chargers from having one of the worst skill position groups in the league to being around league average. And if Ladd McConkey can be great right away, the Chargers could actually have an above-average weapons cast for Herbert.
Football is a team sport but a player of Aiyuk's caliber can absolutely swing an entire season for a Chargers team that is right on the edge of being a playoff contender. For that reason, general manager Joe Hortiz may be aggressive.