Brandon Aiyuk (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Cleveland Browns reportedly proposed a mammoth offer to the San Francisco 49ers superstar wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk before he agreed to a four-year extension worth $120 million.

After unsuccessful negotiations on a new deal, Brandon Aiyuk requested a trade from the 49ers in July. The Browns, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers all pursued the All-Pro wideout before signing his new deal.

According to a report from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the 49ers sought Pro Bowl wideout Amari Cooper plus second and fifth-round draft picks for their star wideout. Breer added that Cleveland offered Aiyuk a three-year extension, but to no avail:

“The Cleveland Browns were also in the mix. The Niners asked for second- and fifth-rounders and Amari Cooper for Aiyuk. That, logistically, would’ve been tricky to pull off for Cleveland—the Browns had already given Cooper an $18.79 million signing bonus as part of his restructure/raise. That said, I did hear Cleveland would’ve been willing to do a three-year deal rather than a four-year extension with Aiyuk at a really good number.”

Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a career year that saw him catch 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. His efforts helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl 58 appearance, where they fell to Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.

The cap-strapped 49ers also extended superstar running back Christian McCaffrey earlier this offseason, and All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams is still holding out in search of a new deal.

The Aiyuk extension took longer than either party wanted, but the bottom line is that they got it done in time ahead of Week 1. The 49ers open their season next Monday with a home clash against old friend Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.

49ers Had To Pay Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco could have traded Aiyuk for draft picks, but at the end of the day, those are essentially lottery tickets. A club in win-now mode like San Fran must keep its core players together, and Aiyuk was no exception.

The 49ers have four elite weapons in Aiyuk, McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. Take Aiyuk out of the equation, and the 49ers’ offense wouldn’t even be a top-five unit anymore.

So paying Aiyuk was the only logical outcome for the 49ers. He was given a fair market value deal, making this a win-win for all parties.