Aiyuk's price has gone up, so 49ers face a decision

The price keeps going up for Brandon Aiyuk.

And they have the Detroit Lions, last year's NFC Championship Game foe, to thank for it.

While the Lions are still heartbroken over blowing a 17-point halftime lead and losing 34-31 to the 49ers with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, they can take at least a little solace in making it just that more difficult for their new rival to reel in their own star wide receiver.

According to several outlets, Amon-Ra St. Brown received a fouryear, $120 million extension from Detroit on Wednesday with $77 million guaranteed, a number the 49ers will have to meet or exceed to keep Aiyuk. Assuming the 49ers have a max offer in mind for Aiyuk and it's not in the ballpark of St. Brown's haul, it could make a trade more likely tonight when the NFL Draft begins in ... drumroll please ... Detroit.

That makes St. Brown the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, or at least in the realm of Miami's Tyreek Hill ($30 million APY), the Raiders' Davante Adams ($28 million), the Rams' Cooper Kupp ($26.7) and the Eagles' DeVonta Smith ($25 million).

Smith's deal came last week in the form of a three-year extension.

You can make the case St. Brown is deserving of climbing to the top of the ladder based on his age (24) and production (119