Complicating matters further, even if an interested team meets both criteria, Aiyuk can derail any trade he doesn't favor by simply stating he has no intention of signing a long-term deal with that team.
"So I think when you step back and assess the situation, a lot of people around the league believe that the 49ers are not going to be in any rush here to make a move, despite the fact that everybody's waiting for an update, waiting to see when and if Brandon Aiyuk will be traded," Schefter commented. "He might be, and he might be soon, but they are not rushing into anything right now.
"They're going to take their time, be deliberate, and see what's out there before they make any move at all because they do know that they would be moving on from a very good wide receiver."
Kyle Shanahan confirmed this week that the 49ers gave Aiyuk's agent permission to discuss contract terms and trade scenarios with other teams. However, the head coach hasn't completely dismissed the possibility of San Francisco keeping Aiyuk.
"There's a scenario for everything, so I wouldn't rule anything out," Shanahan said.
He added, "I don't like losing anybody, so that's why I'm hoping it does work out here. But right now, we don't have that solved yet, so I hope it does."