The NFL Draft is imminent. Some time on Thursday night, the San Francisco 49ers are slated to make the 31st overall pick. With that in mind, general manager John Lynch spoked to media Monday afternoon to discuss everything and nothing as it pertained to the draft, and Brandon Aiyuk's contract situation.
Brandon Aiyuk contract extension stats
The most pressing matter in the 49ers' offseason is the status of Aiyuk, who is up for a contract extension as he heads into his fifth-year option. Lynch declined to provide much insight into the matter, as is usually the case.
"We're having good talks and we'll leave it at that," Lynch said.
He spoke to the nature of "deadlines" as motivators in contract talks, with that first deadline being Thursday. If the 49ers don't deal Aiyuk for a first-round pick, it's exceedingly difficult to imagine that he will be traded. That scenario is difficult as it stands.
Lynch did admit that the 49ers have received calls about Aiyuk, but stressed that the team's desire is to secure a long-term extension for the All-Pro wide receiver, who just turned 26.
“Our wish is that he’s here, and a part of the Niners for the rest of his career," Lynch said. "We're working through that."
49ers' draft outlook
The 31st pick is an unenviable slot this year. There is a strong crop of offensive tackles, but the 49ers may find themselves on the outside looking in if they want to select one.
That could prompt a situation where the 49ers slide back into the early parts of the second round if they don't have a player they deem worthy of that draft slot.
Lynch stated Monday that the 49ers have first-round grades on just 22 players, and pointed towards Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) as having a major impact on the draft. Many players, he said, returned to school to make more money rather than coming out in the draft.
From the 49ers' perspective, there were 83 players were draftable grades who returned to school, 35 of whom had starting grades. That has left them with a draft board of 170 draftable players out of 257 selections.
"I think the later rounds [are] probably going to be lacking," Lynch said. "So it's a new dynamic, one that I imagine we're going to be faced with each year, you can go back and make a million dollars. I don't think that's the going rate but it is providing competition. That's a significant amount of players."
In short, don't be surprised if the 49ers pull of a combo of moving back in the first round if they make a move up to acquire who they want, and move up to acquire more picks on Day 2, and potentially, early on Day 3. San Francisco has 10 selections, and may not use all of them.
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