Projected San Francisco 49ers depth chart once Brandon Aiyuk is off the roster

The San Francisco 49ers still haven't traded Brandon Aiyuk, but it's only a matter of time. The talented wideout has requested a trade and received permission to discuss contracts with four teams — the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Washington Commanders.

Judging from the spate of recent reports, Cleveland and New England are frontrunners, while the Steelers are still in the mix. Washington is a distant fourth and is probably not worth elaborating on.

Determining where Aiyuk ends up will be a collaborative process of sorts. The Niners need to agree on a return package. Aiyuk, meanwhile, needs to agree on a contract with his next team. So, even if the Niners strike an agreement, Aiyuk has the power to shoot it down. The opposite is also true. Aiyuk can beg for a trade to Pittsburgh, for example, but it won't matter if the Steelers' return package isn't up to snuff.

The expectation is that San Francisco will add another receiver in exchange for Aiyuk. Cleveland is expected to part with Amari Cooper in an Aiyuk trade, per ESPN's Jeff Darlington, which puts the Browns comfortably in poll position. The Patriots would offer Kendrick Bourne, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, while the Steelers and Commanders lack established WR options to stuff the Niners' coffers. That is why New England and Cleveland have frameworks in place, while Pittsburgh and Washington do not.

Here is how the Niners depth chart shapes up without Aiyuk on the roster, but fair warning that another quality WR is probably about to join the mix.

Projected 49ers depth chart without Brandon Aiyuk

The 49ers' depth chart still stacks up with any team in the NFL sans Aiyuk. That said, the WR room looks perilously thin in the present moment. Amari Cooper would help in a big way. He's a legitimate No. 1 option and the perfect deep-ball complement to the more balanced skill set of Deebo Samuel. Kendrick Bourne is solid, and would undoubtedly favor Kyle Shanahan's scheme compared to the current restraints of New England's offense. He's not exactly the difference-maker fans desire, though.

San Francisco has the most creative offensive scheme north of Miami, but it hardly matters if the personnel isn't on par with other contenders. The Niners have a talented O-line, the best running back in football, a top-five tight end, and one of the league's most under-appreciated signal-callers in Brock Purdy. There's plenty there — more than enough to proclaim San Francisco as NFC favorites, again — but we cannot overlook Aiyuk's value within the Niners' explosive offense.

Aiyuk averaged 17.9 yards per catch last season. He's one of the most explosive vertical threats in the NFL, capable of muscling through pressure and creating space with elite burst. His athleticism and open-field speed opens a lot of doors for the San Francisco offense, and not just for Aiyuk. He alleviates pressure on other wideouts because of the attention he commands. The Niners can just as successfully deploy Aiyuk as a decoy.

Maybe he's not worth $30 million-plus. Especially given the Niners' current financial turmoil. But, don't get it twisted. Aiyuk's absence will sting and the Niners will struggle to replace him, regardless of what the return packages includes.

There is immense pressure on John Lynch and the Niners front office to get this right. Let's see if he can.