Entering the 2024 offseason, the Detroit Lions were thought to be in the market for a wide receiver, and that was especially true after Josh Reynolds left for the Denver Broncos in free agency.
However, general manager Brad Holmes didn't make any big moves at the position and instead the Lions will hope the guys they already have can step up, including Jameson Williams, who is a question mark after a disappointing start to his career.
If the Lions aren't content with their situation, one NFL analyst, Brett Kollman, has an idea: the Lions trade Williams and a draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk, who is currently on his fifth-year option and looking for an extension.
I know Aiyuk to the Commanders is the hot speculative trade, but what about this:
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) June 18, 2024
Aiyuk to Detroit for Jameson Williams + a pick.
On the surface, the trade would make sense for a team like Detroit that has Super Bowl aspirations. Aiyuk is a much more proven receiver than Williams and would provide an immediate upgrade for the Lions' passing attack.
The problem is that Aiyuk is going to want an extension, and if the Lions don't want to give it to him, they'd have to either franchise tag him or let him walk in 2025. The former scenario would likely leave Aiyuk unhappy, and the latter scenario would see Detroit giving up significant assets for a one-year rental.
The issue with giving Aiyuk a massive extension is that Detroit just paid Amon-Ra St. Brown big money, which would give the Lions two high-priced wide receivers, something that isn't ideal.
The Lions are currently slated to have $43.8 million in effective cap space (the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster) in 2025, per Over the Cap, with 50 players under contract.
Detroit could afford an Aiyuk extension or franchise tag in 2025 and in the years to come as the salary cap continues to go up. But would Holmes be content with a large chunk of his salary cap going towards two receivers?
I just don't see it happening, especially when you consider that Holmes and Co. are high on Williams, who is much cheaper and still has three years left on his rookie deal (2024-26), assuming the Lions pick up his fifth-year option.
