The San Francisco 49ers seem to have reached an impasse with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in contract talks, and now, it’s being reported that they are more likely to trade him than sign him to an extension.
Could it actually happen? Could the 49ers seriously jettison Aiyuk just as they are gearing up for another potential Super Bowl run?
Well, perhaps.
Again, San Francisco is under no obligation to trade Aiyuk. He is under contract. He has a year left on his deal. He can choose to sit out in 2024, but that just does not seem very likely.
But on the other hand, do the 49ers really want a disgruntled wide out on their roster heading into what is set to be a pivotal campaign for the franchise’s direction?
San Francisco is under more pressure than any other team in the NFL this year. The Niners have to win a Super Bowl. They have gotten there twice in the last five years. We keep hearing that they have the most talented roster in the league. At some point, they need to break through.
That will obviously be a heck of a lot harder to do sans Aiyuk.
Aiyuk is clearly the 49ers’ No. 1 receiver. Yes, Deebo Samuel is a versatile offensive piece, but he is not the same downfield threat that Aiyuk is.
Word out of 49ers camp is that quarterback Brock Purdy has not exactly looked himself without Aiyuk, which should not be jarring news to anyone.
That’s no slight to Purdy, who is a very good quarterback. But when you remove any signal-caller’s top option, bad things are going to happen.
It seems like Aiyuk is asking for a deal that the 49ers don’t think he is worth. Justin Jefferson landed $35 million annually from the Minnesota Vikings, and A.J. Brown got $32 million per year from the Philadelphia Eagles. Those two are the highest-paid receivers in football.
Is it possible that Aiyuk is looking for Brown—or even Jefferson—money?
If that’s the case, San Francisco’s reluctance to extend Aiyuk is not unfounded. As good as the Arizona State product is, he is not quite on the same level as Brown, and he is certainly not Jefferson.
Realistically speaking, Aiyuk should probably earn in the neighborhood of $28-30 million annually, right around the contract numbers of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jaylen Waddle.
After all, Aiyuk has not even made a Pro Bowl yet.
Taking everything into consideration, it’s obvious that the 49ers are in trouble. They simply cannot afford to lose such an important cog of their offense heading into 2024. Can San Francisco win without Brandon Aiyuk? Maybe, but it will unquestionably be a heck of a lot harder.
There is still over a month remaining between now and the start of the regular season, so it’s still possible that the two sides will come to terms.
However, the shot clock is definitely winding down for the 49ers.
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