As the San Francisco 49ers stalemate with Brandon Aiyuk over his contract continues into the spring, one NFL executive warned the organization that they need to make a definitive decision on his 49ers’ future now or it will likely cost them much more than it should.
Aside from eventually having to fork over a boatload to burgeoning star quarterback Brock Purdy, general manager John Lynch has a huge problem on his hands with Brandon Aiyuk. The former first-round pick has improved so quickly over the last two seasons that a case can be made he has blown by Deebo Samuel to become the team’s No. 1 receiver.
- Brandon Aiyuk contract: 5 years, $26.6 million (fully guaranteed)
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Unfortunately, the franchise has handed out some handsome paydays to other stars over the last year and they are in no rush to do so again. In most cases that would be understandable but with how good Aiyuk has gotten they are running a risk of creating a disgruntled employee who makes sure to leave in free agency, or by sitting on a trade opportunity they’ll some of the value they could get back in a deal.
In a new report from Mike Sando of The Athletic on Wednesday, the NFL insider spoke to various league executives about the moves teams have made this offseason and one decision maker offered up a strong warning to the 49ers to pay up now or regret it later.
“Aiyuk is so integral to what they do, more so than Deebo Samuel is, that I’d try to get something done with him before Justin Jefferson and these other receivers get deals and the price goes up,” the exec told Sando. “Because this is a deep receiver draft, they may try to do it in reverse. If there is something they can get done from a draft standpoint, then it could be moving Aiyuk or knowing their feet are to the fire and they have to extend him.”
Based on that assessment, it is very possible a trade could come in the next few weeks before the April 25 NFL draft begins. After the Buffalo Bills surprised by trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans today, a deal to get draft capital for the 2024 event is not out of the question.
- Brandon Aiyuk stats (2023): 75 catches, 1,372 receiving yards, 7 TD, 17.9 YPC
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