The 49ers have an intriguing opportunity.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin requested a trade last week because the team hasn’t given him the contract extension he wants yet. McLaurin will turn 30 in September, but he’s had five 1,000-yard seasons in a row and he scored 13 touchdowns last year, so he doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
The 49ers desperately need a wide receiver. Jauan Jennings is in the same boat as McLaurin — wants an extension or a trade and hasn’t practiced recently. The 49ers say Jennings has a calf injury, which may or may not be the full story. He might be holding in, just as Brandon Aiyuk did last year.
Speaking of Aiyuk, he’s still recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus and could be out until midseason. So should the 49ers offer one of Aiyuk or Jennings to the Commanders for McLaurin?
Jennings might not be enough for the Commanders, considering McLaurin should be worth at least a third-round pick despite his age. I doubt that Jennings also is worth a third-round pick, considering he’s had just one productive season and he’s often nicked up. But if he’s healthy now, the Commanders might be tempted.
If the Commanders don’t want Jennings, they might prefer Aiyuk, considering he was borderline elite in 2023 before his hold-in and injury. In time, he might be able to regain that form. Plus, he’s younger than McLaurin and he’s best friends with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Commanders were open to trading McLauring to the 49ers for Aiyuk.
Matt Barrows, who covers the 49ers for The Athletic, wrote today that San Francisco 49ers should indeed trade Aiyuk to the Commanders, and points out that the 49ers nearly did just that last offseason. He makes lots of good points, and it’s clear to see why Washington might prefer to have Aiyuk than McLaurin. But I have one final question.
They’ve been extremely tight financially this offseason since they gave Brock Purdy a five-year, $265 million extension. They have roughly $100 million in dead cap space and another $45 million in effective cap space they seem intent on rolling over to next year.
If they were to trade Aiyuk, I think they’d prefer to trade him for a draft pick just to get his contract off their books. And instead of replacing him with a 30-year-old receiver, I’m guessing they’d prefer to replace him with young, cost-controlled Ricky Pearsall if/when he establishes himself as a consistent threat.
I think the days of the 49ers spending big money on wide receivers are coming to an end.
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