The San Francisco 49ers continue to be mired in drama with All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. They are in trade discussions with multiple teams and are now likely to move him ahead of Week 1 against the New York Jets.
Aiyuk, 26, is angling for a new deal that would make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL. He’s currently slated to play out the final year of his rookie contract with a salary of $14.1 million. That’s far below market value.
Meanwhile, the New England Patriots had offered Aiyuk $32 million per season after working out the paramaters of a deal with San Francisco. Aiyuk showed no interest in heading to New England, ending trade discussions in the process.
As this situation plays out, the 49ers are putting Aiyuk on notice. According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, San Francisco has signed veteran wide receiver Chosen Anderson after a workout with the team on Thursday.
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What the San Francisco 49ers signing of Chosen Anderson means
Not a whole heck of a lot. Aiyuk is a hold in from training camp right now. This means that he’s not participating in practice. It could simply be a depth move heading into the 49ers’ preseason opener this weekend.
Then again, Anderson has a history of success. This isn’t signing a bum off the street. Previously going by the name of Robbie Anderson, the 31-year-old Anderson put up a career-best performance with the Carolina Panthers back in 2020. He tallied 95 receptions for 1,096 yards.
Regardless of how the Aiyuk situation plays out, adding depth for quarterback Brock Purdy at quarterback makes sense. Anderson will certainly have an opportunity to make the 53-man roster heading into Week 1.