Brandon Aiyuk’s tenure in San Francisco may not be coming to an end just yet.
Aiyuk’s future with the reigning NFC champions has been in limbo since he requested a trade after not being able to negotiate a long-term contract extension this offseason. Teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring the All-Pro receiver.
Then came Friday, when NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the 49ers have “made a renewed effort in recent days to strike a long-term deal,” with Aiyuk. Pelissero also reported that the situation is fluid and teams like the Steelers are still looking to get a trade done. Aiyuk is in the last year of his rookie contract, which will see the Niners pay him $14.1 million.
The #49ers have made a renewed effort in recent days to strike a long-term deal with WR Brandon Aiyuk, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
The situation is fluid and other teams, including Pittsburgh, are still in the mix. But a return to SF appears increasingly possible.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 9, 2024
Aiyuk himself responded vaguely to an Instagram post with Pelissero’s report, casting at least some doubt on whether there’s as much positive momentum as Pelissero makes it sound.
The Cleveland Browns are also reportedly interested in making a deal for Aiyuk, which wide receiver Amari Cooper — another reported piece to that puzzle — didn’t seem bothered by in an Instagram post.
Aiyuk’s future with the franchise began clouding after its Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Aiyuk’s girlfriend posted a message on social media hinting that he might not return.
In late March, 49ers general manager John Lynch made it known that there were no plans of trading Aiyuk and the two sides were working toward a contract extension. Just a month later, the 49ers drafted receiver Ricky Pearsall, seemingly preparing for the possibility of losing Aiyuk.
Mid-June saw Aiyuk tell his former college teammate and current Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels that “they don’t want me back,” with “they” referring to the Niners. A month later, Aiyuk formally requested a trade.
Aiyuk began his hold-in strategy in late July to try and get a deal done. He chose to attend meetings, but did not participate in practices as training camp began.
The New England Patriots were reportedly once in the Aiyuk sweepstakes. But they recently dropped out of the race after Aiyuk reportedly showed no interest in going to New England. Similarly, the Steelers have not engaged in trade conversations with the San Francisco 49ers in the past 24 hours, this according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Aiyuk has steadily increased his production every season since he was drafted in 2020. The past two seasons saw him be a key part of San Francisco’s offense with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
This past season was the best of Aiyuk’s career. He had a career-high 1,342 receiving yards along with seven touchdowns en route to a second-team All-Pro nod.
Whether Aiyuk stays with the 49ers or moves on elsewhere, his impact will be significant. As a route runner, his flexibility and body control are things that stand out when comparing him to others at the position. His 17.8 yards per reception led the NFL last season, and out routes are especially where his speed and athleticism get to be put on display. His value comes in his versatility and malleability to do virtually anything that’s needed of a top receiver on a team.
Aiyuk isn’t the only top-shelf receiver who’s been holding out from training camp in order to get a massive payday. The Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb and Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase also have been looking for a long-term contract extension commensurate to their production. With Vikings star Justin Jefferson setting the bar for wide receiver contract extensions with an annual salary of $35 million, other top-end pass catchers are looking to make a similar amount of money.
It sounds, at least as of Friday, like Aiyuk has a better chance of doing so in San Francisco than we thought.
