Proposed Raiders trade sees Malcolm Koonce swapped for Brandon Aiyuk

The current trade rumors swirling around the NFL involve the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The 2023 Second-Team All-Pro wanted a new contract, but now he has requested a trade.

The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t a team in need of wide receiver help, but Aiyuk was at Arizona State when Antonio Pierce was a defensive and recruiting coordinator there and he grew up in Nevada. Vic Tafur of The Athletic pitched a trade idea that would send Aiyuk to the Raiders for defensive end Malcolm Koonce and a 2025 third-round pick.

“Social media gave us a hot Aiyuk for Davante Adams rumor this week (thanks, Internet!), but that makes no sense to the Raiders,” Tafur wrote in a July 19 column. “Both receivers are due new contracts soon (Aiyuk is unhappy while Adams is due to make a $36 million salary in 2025) and Adams is the better player. The Raiders are also very excited about their No. 2 receiver, Jakobi Meyers, and drafted tight end/Swiss Army knife Brock Bowers.

“So the best they could do would be to deal Koonce and a third-round pick, given how deep they are on defense, and it’s unlikely anyone will trade for 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson. Wilson has worked hard this offseason to get stronger, and this would open up a role for him opposite Maxx Crosby. But it still feels forced — and at this point, too big a move for a new general manager in Tom Telesco, who is still trying to get a feel for how good his team is.”

Would this deal be worth it for the Las Vegas Raiders?

Being able to trade for Aiyuk without giving up Davante Adams or a first-round pick would be very appealing. A wide receiver trio of Adams, Aiyuk, and Jakobi Meyers could be the best in the NFL. And that’s not to mention the team could also have a star tight end duo in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.

The Raiders don’t have a great quarterback on their roster, but it would be hard for a passer not to have success with so many weapons. Giving up Koonce would hurt, as he looks like an up-and-coming player. However, as Tafur noted, the Raiders used the No. 7 pick on Tyree Wilson just a year ago. They may want to see what they have in him instead of paying Koonce big money after the season.

It is unlikely that this trade will take place

Tafur himself noted that a Raiders trade for Aiyuk is unlikely. For the 49ers, Koonce and a third-round pick shouldn’t be enough to make a deal happen. He established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL last season. That’s worth at least a first-round pick.

If Koonce proves that last season wasn’t a fluke, his value would be at least a first-round pick, but San Francisco can’t be sure he’s a player whose value compares to Aiyuk’s. He had 2.0 sacks in two seasons prior to 2023. Perhaps a trade closer to the deadline could make sense if Aiyuk is still on the roster to start the season and Koonce continues to play at a high level, especially if Wilson starts to show some flashes.