The entire Brandon Aiyuk situation with his San Francisco 49ers could soon be coming to a head with less than a month to go before training camp.
As you likely already know, Aiyuk held out from mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason as the wide receiver angles for a lucrative long-term contract extension.
All the while, rumors about a potential trade have dated back to March. San Francisco is not in the greatest of cap situations moving forward. Paying Aiyuk the $30-plus million annually he’s said to be demanding will be difficult.
From a broader NFL perspective, wide receivers are getting paid big time this offseason. That included Justin Jefferson inking a record-breaking extension with the Minnesota Vikings.
We’re now hearing more about the Aiyuk situation in San Francisco. It’s not great.
ESPN’s Ryan Clark (h/t Adam Schefter) said on NFL Live Monday that Aiyuk requested a meeting with the 49ers’ brass. According to Clark, Aiyuk has been taking the negotiations “personally.” His first choice is to remain in San Francisco, but the star wide receiver is also open to playing elsewhere if they’re open to trading him.
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Brandon Aiyuk stats (2023): 75 receptions, 1,342 yards, 7 TD
Aiyuk, 26, has been vital to the defending NFC champ’s success over the years. This past season saw Brock Purdy boast a 71.4% completion and 124.0 QB rating when targeting Aiyuk. That can’t go unnoticed.
Even then, it’s becoming evident that things are not going swimmingly between the former first-round pick out of Arizona State and his team.
Aiyuk has even taken to social media recently to pretty much call out the 49ers’ brass publicly during negotiations. He’s said to be seeking a deal similar to what Amon-Ra St. Brown signed with the Detroit Lions earlier in the offseason. That is to say, $30 million annually. The 49ers have countered with what can be described as a low-ball offer.
- Brandon Aiyuk contract: $14.12 million in 2023; free agent in 2024
Set to enter the final year of his contract, Aiyuk is vastly underpaid in the grand scheme of things. Whether this leads to a trade or the star receiver signing an extension remains to be seen. But things are not looking great right now.