The 49ers have been a team to watch this offseason, primarily due to their quarterback situation. The future of wideout Brandon Aiyuk has been questioned as well, though, and was a topic addressed by general manager John Lynch. 
“We’re trying to do something special this year and Brandon’s gonna be a big part of that,” Lynch said during a pre-draft press conference, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). “We feel like he made another big step last year and I think the best is yet to come. So we want him to be a part of it.”
Those comments come as little surprise given Lynch’s previous commitment to the former first-rounder. Aiyuk was mentioned as a trade target for a number of teams, but it was reported last month that San Francisco was expected to pick up his fifth-year option. Doing so would set him up for a $14.12MM cap hit in 2024, a relatively modest figure for a 1,000 yards receiver (which the 25-year-old proved himself to be with a career-year in 2022).
However, that decision would set up the 49ers to have an expensive receiver tandem (at least briefly) given the three-year, $71.6MM contract signed by Deebo Samuel last offseason. The team also has to tread carefully from a financial standpoint considering the impending mega-deal for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. Moving on from Aiyuk while he has one year remaining on his rookie contract would thus be logical in one sense, but the team’s lack of depth could sway them to remain committed for the future.
Other than Samuel and Aiyuk, the 49ers’ WR depth chart is devoid of players with an established track record of success. Complimentary wideouts Jauan Jennings and Ray-Ray McCloud aren’t under contract beyond this season, and San Francisco’s noteworthy 2023 draft capital only includes one top-100 selection (No. 99). That will likely preclude them from adding a rookie who will make a sizeable impact right away, pointing further to the benefit of retaining Aiyuk.
“At some point, yeah, you have to figure things out,” Lynch added on the point of absorbing expensive contracts into the team’s salary cap situation. “And I guess we’ll take that as it comes. But as of right now and into the future we’re really excited about Brandon Aiyuk and where he’s at.”
Aiyuk is the most underrated offensive player in San Francisco, he is a talented player and a great asset for the 49ers. No reason to trade him away, he plays extremely well in the system Shanahan designed.
You’re absolutely correct!!
Plus, if Purdy is not ready, or if Lance beats him out, Kyle has already tipped his hand that he’d like to pass the ball down the field more often. With that type of passing attack that would fit perfectly with Aiyuk and Danny Gray’s talents the most, and it would also likely help the 49ers maximize Aiyuk’s potential.
Pressing the ball deep would only further open up all of what Kyle loves to do in his offense, and that would be opening up the short to intermediate areas for Kittle, Deebo, CMC, Jennings, Juice, and Mitchell to be able to do what they do best and that’s racking up yards after the catch.
Aiyuk is just a more complete WR than Deebo, but Deebo is such a tempo setter and a sparkplug for this offense. They’re both extremely important to what the 49ers are trying to do on offense, so it is going to be really tough if they have eventually have to chose between keeping one or the other..
With Jennings and Ray-Ray coming off the books, Gray yet to establish himself, and Aiyuk eventually wanting a pretty hefty deal, it would make alot of sense for the 49ers to target a WR with one of their three 3rd Round picks.
As long as they come away with an OT, an EDGE, and a WR with those 3rd Round picks, and further bolster their depth with cheap, talented rookies the 49ers should be setting themselves up to be in good shape regardless what happens this next offseason.
Other than that, the 49ers just need to target a LB, a safety, boundary corner, and a pass catching TE in no particular order.
I think this draft will allow the 49ers to easily fill those holes with promising players that fit well into their system even late into the draft. Then, Kyle and his staff can continue coaching up their rookies and helping them transition to the NFL their rookie seasons. Kyle allows those players to sit and learn their first years, and then when other teams sign away their free agents, Kyle is comfortable turning to those guys to help fill in the holes.
As long as the 49ers can continue churning out cheap depth by doing this, and by also finding and coaching up cheap former “busts” they should be able to sustain their success for the foreseeable future if they play their contracts correctly…Which, for the record, the 49ers have always been one of the best teams at structuring contracts, so they never get in the hole further down the line like alot of teams..
The 49ers are soon going to confront the NFL’s best parity-creating idea, i.e., you can’t pay everybody. No matter how smart your personnel department/GM you won’t be able to keep all your draft choice “finds”.
This creates parity? It causes teams to move on from players that they would like to keep. These players are invested in the community and the organization, but get moved or cut to satisfy a cap. I think it is done so the owners can be protected from themselves. Even with a cap some dummy will guarantee a serial sex offender $230 million.