Brandon Aiyuk indeed received the meeting he sought with 49ers brass. While it is not yet known which parties from the team took part in the summit with the disgruntled wide receiver, this situation seems in a more stable place coming out of it.
The sides had a “good” meeting Monday, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds Aiyuk has not submitted a trade request. Trade calls have come in, but Pelissero notes the 49ers have shut them down. The 49ers resolved their Deebo Samuel impasse — one that did involve a trade request — with an extension during training camp, and they hope to finish the Aiyuk saga in similar fashion.
Despite Aiyuk’s recent social media comments intimating the 49ers did not want him back, the team has repeatedly insisted otherwise. That is still the case, with Pelissero adding the 49ers have Aiyuk in their 2024 plans. The former first-round pick is going into a fifth-year option season; an extension would remove the option number ($14.12MM) from the equation. Numbers here have been tricky, however.
This offseason’s movement on the WR market has influenced Aiyuk’s camp, which has been connected to targeting a deal north of Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s four-year, $120.01MM Lions extension. In terms of guarantees, Aiyuk has been tied to seeking a number well past $80MM. Only two wideouts — Justin Jefferson ($110MM) and A.J. Brown ($84MM) — have secured guarantees beyond the $80MM point. With Samuel receiving $58.2MM (on a three-year extension) in 2022, Aiyuk’s reported ask probably exceeds where the 49ers are comfortable going.
Aiyuk, 26, was believed to be upset with the 49ers’ negotiating tactics, with ESPN’s Ryan Clark indicating he has taken them personally. This meeting seems to have helped on this front, though no deal is imminent. The 49ers have regularly operated on this timeline with their Kyle Shanahan-era standouts, having extended Samuel, George Kittle and Nick Bosa during camp. Samuel staged a hold-in to start the 49ers’ 2022 training camp, returning to work after signing a three-year, $71.55MM extension. If Aiyuk signs a deal, rumblings about Samuel relocating in 2025 have surfaced. Both Samuel and Aiyuk came up in trade talks during the draft; John Lynch said that topic is closed.
For now, though, the 49ers look to be aiming to run it back — as the Bengals plan to — with their formidable receiver duo. The 49ers would have the option of franchise-tagging Aiyuk in 2025, but it would take some cap maneuvering — as the defending NFC champions are projected to be more than $38MM over the 2025 salary ceiling — for that to happen. The 49ers also have Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir in contract years, with Kittle, Samuel and Brock Purdy up after the ’25 season. With the organization already planning a top-market Purdy payday, sacrifices will need to be made elsewhere.
Aiyuk led the 49ers in receiving by a wide margin in 2023, amassing 1,342 yards. Since coming into the NFL in 2020, however, the San Francisco receiver ranks 17th in receiving yardage. It is understandable the 49ers are hesitant about a contract that approaches the top of the market. CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill, the latter having already expressed an issue with a deal he signed in 2022, could further affect the market’s upper reaches. It does not appear the 49ers view Aiyuk in this class, leading to several reports depicting a lack of progress.
The sides still have some time before camp, and Aiyuk would face fines of $50K per day — though, the 49ers could waive these due to the WR being on a rookie deal — by skipping camp as Bosa did.
Laughable that he thinks he deserves to be paid more than St Brown
Funny thing, Purdy is often knocked because he had a great season but has a lot of talent surrounding him. And yet Aiyuk critics always diminish his stats. St Brown had 164 targets and 1500 plus yards. 10 tds. Aiyuk had 105 targets and 1340 yards. 7 tds. So my question is, with Kittle, Deebo, and McCaffrey, why does Aiyuk get “dinged” for “only” 1340 yards? Fathead, how is St Brown, who had 60% more targets than Aiyuk but only 170 more receiving yards, “laughably” so much better…in your opinion. Do you believe Laporta compares to Kittle or Montgomery compares to McCaffrey? And what lion compares to Samuel. Again, Purdy has a great supporting cast so the wealth gets spread around. So Aiyuk comes up a little short when statistically compared to St Brown. Do you think 60 more targets to Aiyuk for the season would result in 170 yards receiving because that’s what he’d need to match the great St Brown. 60 targets and 170 yards. You know, it kinda seems to me that it’s laughable to say St Brown is better than Aiyuk…or deserves more money. Imagine Aiyuks numbers if he played for Detroit. Hmm
I’ll add to your response in saying that the 49ers had the least amount of passes attempted in the NFL last year. So, not only does the wealth get spread around in SF, they have far less opportunities to get production. SF ranked 27th in total offensive plays last year. They are ranked 32nd in passes and 7th in rushes. 491 passes to 499 rushes.
Anybody who states Aiyuk isn’t a top WR isn’t watching much football or not paying attention to what’s happening.
I won’t say Aiyuk isn’t a top receiver but he benefits greatly by having Deebo, Kittle and CMC. Offenses can’t cover them all.
As for the passes to rush that’s a pretty far reach as you are able to open your passing game with a strong run game. That’s basic football. SF has an incredible offensive unit that can score quickly. And you realize if you are winning and have such few opportunities it means you score quickly. Big plays. Thus the 17.9 Y/R.
Don’t over complicate your argument with irrelevant stats.
Don’t over complicate your argument with irrelevant stats.
You couldn’t be any more wrong. I simplified it by saying they threw the football the LEAST of any team in the league, had to share the wealth and STILL managed to be 7th in the league in receiving yards. If the 49ers had been in the middle of the league in passing attempts, not a soul would say Aiyuk wasn’t a top WR. Imagine what his number would have been if he had 181 targets like CeeDee Lamb? Thats around 129 catches for 2,313 yards and 12 TD’s. Are we still saying he is just benefiting from his teammates? i seriously doubt it.
He helped me to back-to-back Dynasty Championships so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ lol
I also have Hurts, CMC, Etienne, Lamb, Puka, Kelce & Dallas with McBride, Amari, London & Moss/Brown on the bench … so if Aiyuk wants to holdout I think I’ll be okay with it
But what are Aiuyk’s numbers if he played for Carolina?
I would say ultimately Aiuyk has benefited immensely from having Deebo, CMC and Kittle around him. If he thinks he can still be productive with a worse coach, worse offensive line, worse running back and worse tight end, go get your millions and run the risk of being the next Kenny Golladay.
Truth is that no one has seen Aiuyk play professional football without immense talent surrounding him. Comparing him to St. Brown is a fool’s errand, they are much different players expected to do much different things for their respective offenses. I can’t say whether Aiuyk will be productive like DaVante Adams was still productive without Aaron Rodgers or David Carr, and neither can anyone else. But I’ve seen a lot more WR stink on an island with a struggling offense around them than I have seen WR shine through despite their surrounding talent gettting much worse.
When you play on a stacked offense, people have to make sacrifices to keep it together. I don’t think Aiuyk has indicated to the team he would take a discount to keep the band together, and that’s well within his rights, but I think SF drafting Pearsall in round one says all you need to know about what the future holds. He’s gone after this year.
You could say the same for any WR in the league….including Jefferson, Lamb or Hill.
Jefferson we will see this year, losing his QB.
Lamb lost Cooper and got better.
Hill changed teams and offenses and went from Mahomes to Tua and still was productive.
I don’t see Aiuyk as being on the same impact and talent level as the guys above.
Somebody gotta pay lol
Not sure why it’s become so popular to say Aiyuk benefits from the team’s offensive talent?
Deebo was drafted a year earlier and, if you want to use the benefit tag, his career was extended with the trade for CMC … and he wisely forced an extension after those few years of taking all those “Wide-Back” hits.
But Aiyuk? All he’s done is gotten better each season: before CMC or Purdy and while Deebo was frustrating opposing Defenses.
Even in college, if the ball was within his vicinity, he caught it.
Having said that, I do think he’s overplaying his hand; especially since SF obviously anticipated it and drafted Pearsall.
If I’m his agent I’m suggesting a home-discount extension with a high-ish guarantee because … just my opinion … those guys with the big ticket contracts aren’t as close to a Championship as SF
NYG, CAR, LAC, PIT etc might be destinations but those locations are not (realistically) even in SB conversations
It’s only popular because it’s true. When he goes to Carolina and puts up 1600 yards on 170 targets with Bryce Young I think we’ll be able to say it isn’t true. Otherwise defenses will have to think about 2-3 guys before getting around to Aiuyk, instead of focusing on solely stopping him.
I don’t know why you would pick this particular hill to die on… are you trying to say teams are focused on Aiuyk more than McCaffery? That’s just absurd.