What Amon-Ra St. Brown's Extension Means for Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers

The Lions just made it very difficult for the 49ers to keep Aiyuk.

This is not good news for anyone who wants the 49ers to keep Brandon Aiyuk on the team long-term.

The Detroit Lions just gave wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown a four-year contract extension worth $120 million, according to the NFL Network. Meaning the average annual value of his deal is $30 million. And that means Brandon Aiyuk most likely wants at least $30 million per season as well.

And I just don't see the 49ers giving Aiyuk that much money. He might be worth $30 million per season to another team, but not to the 49ers. They simply don't pass him the ball enough to justify paying him that much money.

Both Aiyuk and St. Brown were All Pros this past season. But St. Brown caught 119 passes while Aiyuk caught just 75. And that's because the Lions targeted St. Brown 164 times while the 49ers targeted Aiyuk just 105 times. So it make sense for the Lions to extend St. Brown, because they maximize his production. As opposed to the 49ers, who don't come close to maximizing Aiyuk's production.

If Aiyuk can find a team that is willing to pay him $30 million per season and trade the 49ers a first-round pick, the 49ers should trade him tomorrow. And the Jacksonville Jaguars just might be that team. They're desperate to find a No. 1 wide receiver who can elevate Trevor Lawrence's play, and they can afford Aiyuk because they're not paying big money for any other players on offense.

The Lions just made it very difficult for the 49ers to keep Aiyuk.