The rumors are swirling again, but Cleveland needs to hang up the phone. Following the 49ers playoff exit, GM John Lynch didn't mince words about his estranged wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, "It's safe to say he's played his last snap with the Niners."
While the talent is tantalizing, Aiyuk is a landmine the Browns cannot afford to step on.
Here are the three main reasons why Andrew Berry must avoid this situation:
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1. The "Veto" Factor: We’ve been here before. In 2024, Andrew Berry reportedly had a deal in place to acquire Aiyuk for Amari Cooper and picks, but Aiyuk effectively vetoed the trade by refusing to sign an extension in Cleveland.
This mirrors the Deshaun Watson situation where the QB at first turned the Browns down before owner Jimmy Haslam backed up the Brinks truck to change his mind. Berry shouldn't beg a player to be here who has already shown he doesn't want to wear the jersey.
Nick Wilson of 92.3 The FAN in Cleveland made another comparison. "Doesn't this feel like OBJ to you? A guy that was prolific at one point, has ceased being prolific and is just pretty OK".
2. The Contractual Red Flags: After a mysterious 2025 season where Aiyuk "ghosted" the team during injury rehab, San Francisco took the relationship ending step of voiding $27-million in guarantees. Bringing a "diva" attitude of that level into a Browns offense trying to rebuild is asking for a disaster.
3. Health and Production Uncertainty: Aiyuk hasn't played meaningful football since his ACL/MCL tear in late 2024. Betting the franchise's remaining cap space on a 28-year-old receiver who hasn't seen game action in over a year is a gamble Berry can't justify.
The front office must finally hit on a difference making starting wide receiver in the draft instead of looking at disgruntled veterans like Aiyuk and A.J. Brown. Get a fresh rookie in on that cheap first NFL contract, and avoid taking an expensive step backward.
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