Saints Should Swing for 49ers Star Brandon Aiyuk

The New Orleans Saints’ offense has a chance to be very good in 2026.

Tyler Shough has all of the makings of a legit starting quarterback in this league. He looked the part down the stretch, even as injuries piled up with key playmakers. It didn’t matter, Shough still looked like a stud.

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Imagine what this offense could look like with a healthy Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Juwan Johnson, and a legit No. 2 receiver? That should be the priority for the team this offseason and it sounds like one is going to be out there for the taking this offseason.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch acknowledged on Wednesday that Brandon Aiyuk very likely has played his final game as a member of the franchise.

The Saints need to call the 49ers

Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) celebrates after a catch against the New England Patriots during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

"I think it's safe to say that he's played his last snap with the Niners," Lynch said. "It's unfortunate. A situation that just went awry. And I will look long and hard at what could have been done differently, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. And I think that this was a case where that happened."

Aiyuk inked a four-year, $120 million deal with the 49ers that has three seasons left, but drama has swirled all season.

Earlier in the offseason, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis acknowledged that the team isn’t just aiming to win the NFC South, but is looking for more. A deal for someone like Aiyuk would help in that respect.

"I think all of us, you know, every day with every team, whether it is a coach or GM, has a vision for how they can win their division, regardless of how strong or weak you may think it is" Loomis said. "We're going to approach it the same way. How do we improve enough to win the division? We don't want to just win the division. We don't want to be an 8-9 team winning the division. We want to win the division, be dominant and have a chance to make a run in the playoffs. So that's what our goal is going to be."

The Saints’ defense was among the best in football down the stretch in 2025. If the Saints entered the 2026 season with Shough, Kamara, Olave, Aiyuk, Vele, and Johnson on offense, that team could win the division and make some noise.

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