Now that the regular season is near, it’s worth wondering which disgruntled players could be dealt prior to Week 1 across Arizona sports betting.
In the Bay Area, one candidate to be dealt is still former first round pick Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers, as the former ASU Sun Devils star is coming off a career year, but enters the final season of his rookie contract in 2024. That contract stipulates that Aiyuk will earn $14.1 million in 2024-25, with the same figure counting against the Niners' cap, which could expedite GM John Lynch’s desire to trade the fifth year pro out of Reno, Nevada.
On Aug. 6, ESPN's Mike Reiss reported the 49ers have "given the star wide receiver permission to negotiate a contract with other teams," with the Browns and Patriots both initially having interest. Late that same night, the Patriots pulled out of the running. Then the Steelers and 49ers had a deal in place as of Aug. 13, though the 49ers also had an extension on the table.
A week later, and Aiyuk is still in San Francisco, and momentum on any trade appears to have stalled.
With that being said, BetArizona.com updated our hypothetical odds on which NFL franchise Aiyuk could suit up for in 2024.
Brandon Aiyuk Trade Odds
Team | Odds | Percent Chance |
San Francisco 49ers | -110 | 52.4% |
The Field | +100 | 50% |
Odds not available on Arizona betting apps.
Updated on Aug. 22.
Steelers Slight Favorite to Land Aiyuk
There are a cavalcade of NFL teams that could swing a trade for Aiyuk's services, but with the New England Patriots ending their pursuit of the player, we liked the Steelers (previously -120) chances of landing the wide receiver. However, as there has been no positive momentum for a deal with Pittsburgh in over a week, and as the Steelers work through their own underwhelming quarterback battle between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, it seems less than likely Aiyuk heads to Pittsburgh anytime soon.
At this point, we like his odds to remain with the 49ers this season before hitting free agency after the league year concludes.
One way or another, this offseason storyline is likely to come to an end soon.
While it's unlikely Aiyuk heads to Arizona, you can track the Cardinals playoff chances all season here at BetArizona.com.
USA Today photo by Kyle Terada.
