Golden Nuggets: Hands off Cody Schrader, UFL

Four 49ers players selected in UFL draft

“The UFL might be a good backup option should that not happen and if any of the players fail to catch on with an NFL squad.”

Brandon Aiyuk’s trade request: 3 options for the 49ers with their star receiver (paywall)

“Aiyuk is an excellent receiver and the team is objectively worse without him. Even if the distribution of leverage suggests the 49ers should win a prolonged staredown with Aiyuk, that can come at a significant cost to the team. Look back to last season, when Bosa acknowledged that missing all of training camp and the preseason negatively impacted his play for at least the first part of the regular season.

A team facing intense pressure to win a Super Bowl would prefer to not lose any bit of its edge. And the 49ers find themselves in that type of win-now boat. There certainly is some value in ensuring that Aiyuk is in the building from the start of training camp next week. The question is just how much Aiyuk’s presence would be worth.”

Report: At least one team willing to pay 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

“Silver doesn’t specify which team stated this but notes that the source comes from a potential trade partner. Multiple teams have been linked to Aiyuk throughout the offseason, including the Washington Commanders and the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Where NFL personnel, execs, scouts rank Aiyuk among top receivers

“1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings2. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins3. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals4. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys5. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders6. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions8. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers9. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans.”

Salary cap experts project 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk’s contract value

“If Aiyuk agreed, this would be good news for the 49ers. However, he likely seeks a deal similar to the recent four-year, $120 million contract signed by Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, the NFL’s third-highest-paid receiver in terms of annual salary.

St. Brown is one of four players Spotrac lists as comparable based on age, contract status, and statistical production. The others are Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins, DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Michael Pittman Jr. of the Indianapolis Colts.

While Spotrac’s projection might seem reasonable to the 49ers, such estimates rarely reflect the eventual contracts star players sign, as NFL teams also pay for projected future contributions, not just past performance.”