Could 49ers flip Brandon Aiyuk for $140 million WR in a trade?

The San Francisco 49ers will undoubtedly explore every possible avenue to replace wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who appears to be on his way out of San Francisco.

Perhaps the most interesting option is one that would land the 49ers one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in a trade.

The Minnesota Vikings were throttled 26-0 by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13 matchup where first-time starting quarterback Max Brosmer threw four interceptions, Vikings Wire’s Andrew Harbaugh reached out to NFL Wire editors asking what they might be willing to offer for Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson posted just two catches for four yards in that game, and over the last four games has 15 receptions for 150 yards and zero touchdowns while the Vikings struggle to find stability at quarterback.

With the potential for a lengthy QB search ahead, it doesn’t seem impossible that the Vikings would look to move Jefferson for the right price.

Here’s what we offered in a hypothetical trade:

• 49ers get: Justin Jefferson

• Vikings get: Brandon Aiyuk, 2026 first-round pick, 2026 third-round pick, 2027 second-round pick

The value for the 49ers would be tough to assess because they’re still in the midst of a retooling where restocking their cupboard with young talent is paramount.

With left tackle Trent Williams’ retirement looming sooner than later, San Francisco will likely need a premium draft asset to find that player. That’s why multiple firsts don’t hit the table despite the fact a haul for Jefferson would probably include multiple first-round picks.

Here’s what Harbaugh had to say about our offer:

The Vikings are not likely to trade away Justin Jefferson, but they may have their hand forced. They have Jordan Addison on the depth chart, so they can sort of afford it. That being said, getting this type of package isn't ideal, but if they move on from current general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, then the new one may want to get some extra picks to make up for the loss.

The Aiyuk aspect is a little bit tricky since he doesn’t have guarantees on his contract next year and will probably be released. A trade involving him might require a reworked contract, which the Vikings would also need to agree to.

Ultimately if Jefferson does become available, the 49ers should be in heavy pursuit of the 26-year-old. He is one of the best playmakers in the NFL, and he’d add pop to an offense that’s stars are all in or entering their 30s. Across 89 games in six seasons Jefferson has 557 receptions for 8,231 yards and 42 touchdowns. He had 1,000 receiving yards in each of of his first five seasons, and he had at least 1,400 in four of his first five seasons. Jefferson has been an Offensive Player of the Year, and has four Pro Bowl trips to go along with four All-Pro nods.

Finding a proven top-end WR to help replace Aiyuk would be a massive win for head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL trades: Could 49ers, Vikings swap Brandon Aiyuk, Justin Jefferson?