Amid the uncertainty around wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, the San Francisco 49ers could swing big for three-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson.
Similar to Aiyuk, Jefferson wants a bigger contract, and the Minnesota Vikings superstar wideout didn’t show up for the start of organized team activities. Andrew Hughes of USA Today’s Vikings Wire proposed a hypothetical trade package for the 49ers to acquire Jefferson and only lose veteran wideout Jauan Jennings in the process.
That means the 49ers could have an elite trio of Jefferson, Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel for at least 2024. Hughes wrote that the 49ers could send 2025 first and second-round draft picks, a 2026 second-round pick, and Jennings to the Vikings for Jennings.
While the 49ers just extended Jennings with a three-year, $15.39 million contract, San Francisco would save $3.43 million in cap space with a trade. Anything helps because Jefferson won’t come cheap amid his lofty contract demands.
Jefferson has a $19.74 million fifth-year extension with the Vikings this year, and he could command $32.5 million annually per Spotrac. San Francisco only has $7.23 million left in cap space, so it would take working around the salary cap — and likely roster cuts — to satisfy Jefferson’s contract wishes. Realistically, the 49ers would have the utmost difficulty making Hughes’ trade proposal come to fruition.
