With talks between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers still failing to generate progress, a formal trade request has now emerged. The contract-year wideout is seeking a move to a new team, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Aiyuk’s future has been one of the central storylines of the 2024 NFL offseason. The 26-year-old has long been seeking an extension at a price point San Francisco has not yet been willing to meet. Team and player recently met, and those in-person talks staved off a trade request for a brief time. The opposite is now true, however.
[RELATED: Patriots Discuss WR With 49ers]
While the recent Aiyuk summit generated optimism, it was reported earlier this month that no tangible progress on the negotiation front had emerged. Indeed, Garafolo confirms the 49ers have not engaged in a fresh round of contract talks since May. Given today’s news, it is apparent Aiyuk has not shifted his stance with respect to his value on a long-term deal, something which has already been adjusted in the wake of other blockbuster receiver contracts.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), A.J. Brown (Eagles), and Justin Jefferson (Vikings) have each inked deals this offseason with an annual average value above $30MM. Aiyuk has been connected to an asking price matching the $88.7MM in full guarantees Jefferson secured on his historic extension. For now, the Arizona State product is due to collect $14.12MM in 2024 as he plays out his fifth-year option.
Aiyuk did not have a smooth acclimation period as he began his career under Kyle Shanahan, but he has emerged as one of the league’s top young receivers over the past two seasons. The former first-rounder has totaled 153 catches, 2,357 yards and 15 touchdowns during that span, helping the 49ers go on deep postseason runs each year since 2021. San Francisco already has fellow skill-position players Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel on the books, though, and quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for a second contract next offseason.
Samuel (under contract through 2025) and Aiyuk were trade targets during the draft, but no deals were finalized. General manager John Lynch has remained steadfast that no consideration will be given to a trade in either case at this point, a stance which was logical in the absence of a formal request from Aiyuk. The latter has been outspoken on social media in recent weeks, and he named the Steelers and Commanders as hypothetical destinations if his 49ers tenure were to come to an end. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms a trade is still not on the table from San Francisco’s perspective.
Of course, Lynch is no stranger to dealing with situations such as this one. Samuel asked for a trade two years ago before ultimately agreeing to a multi-year San Francisco deal. Last offseason, Nick Bosa held out from training camp while attempting to exert leverage on a monster deal of his own. He ended up signing an eleventh-hour extension just before the start of the regular season, with the team agreeing to a record-breaking commitment on the defensive side of the ball.
Whether or not San Francisco is again willing to make a lucrative investment will be interesting to monitor over the coming days as it pertains to Aiyuk. Veterans report to the 49ers’ training camp in one week, and whether or not today’s move yields progress on the negotiating front will be a key storyline to follow.
This is the zest I needed to start my day
Steelers fan and bored of hearing his name
Agreed. Especially when they know the team won’t sign him to what he’s looking for. We’ve had a history of letting WRs go at that point rather than locking them up. Nor do I believe the Steelers have the right QBs in place to take advantage of his skill.
If SF doesn’t want to pay him someone else will.
If PIT isn’t going after him I would like to see him in DET or ARZ.
DET isn’t going to be able to afford him for long.
Agreed….and they wouldn’t trade him to a divisional opponent so you can take both of those pipe dreams off the table.
Conference opponent. And yes they might (Detroit). But not to LA or Arizona or Seattle.
it’s all a waste of talk because SF isn’t going to trade him.
First of all he has to play under his 5th option. Then he could be tagged after this year. Dude has no legs to stand on. He can ask for anything he wants but he has no leverage in this negotiation so put your pads on and collect your $14-15 mil.
He doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to do. It’s entirely within his rights to not play this year which would be a huge blow to the 49ers as they are a Super Bowl contending team.
And it would be a bigger blow to not collect a $15m paycheck, and damage your brand for the future, because nobody is going to pay him if he sits for a year. Aiyuk has no leverage here.
Nobody is going to pay a guy who sits for a year? Wait til you hear about the guy who got far and away the most guaranteed money of all time.
Nobody will get the option to. If he sits out the year he doesn’t collect a year of service time so he won’t be any closer to being a FA
There’s roughly zero chance he sits out the year.
He can choose to not play but ask LeVeon how that plays out. Anyone can quit whenever they want if you want to commit career suicide. He’ll never make the money he thinks he deserves by taking that route not counting the $15 mil from this season
Bell was a running back who had been run into the ground. Aiyuk has a lot more leverage.
Bell was listed as a RB. He also caught 100 balls. Part of his argument.
That doesn’t change the fact that he was a running back, which changes the nature of the passes, not to mention the mileage, wear and tear, and expected aging.
I just think the guy is not gonna get a ‘Jefferson’ size deal. He’s good, but he’s not the game changer Jefferson is.
He’s not going to get $35 million a year like Jefferson, but he’d presumably get $30 million.
No he won’t. He’ll have to prove he isn’t a system WR in a great offense. Put him in NE and see what #s he puts up. We’ve seen time and time again how these guys fail on bad teams.
May I introduce you to Mr. Hill in Miami…?
He’s doing a lot of things that clearly aren’t about system, and he’s put up numbers despite being on a team that doesn’t pass much and has a ton of mouths to feed.
He might not be that immediate game changer at any time but he is still a top 5 WR. He was 7th in receiving yards last year on a team that ranked dead last in the league in pass attempts and still had to share the love with Deebo, Kittle and CMC.
Top 5 WR? So you’re saying he’s better than Adams, Tyreek Hill, Lamb, Diggs, Chase, St. Brown, Moore, Jefferson? I don’t think so.
Moore is trash compared to Aiyuk. I’d leave that name down the list. Way down.
Moore is way more consistent than Aiyuk…calling him trash is special.
Aiyuk would never get 1000 yards like Moore did in Carolina and Chicago.
He was run into the ground by not playing?
He has no leverage. He can yell and stomp his feet but he’ll play for what they offer or sit out, receive fines and if he stays out too long, lose a season of service. The new CBA changed everything.
Guys on their fifth year option can hold out without fines.
That’s the team decision. If he holds out and not play he will pay fines. Aiyuk has no leverage in this negotiation.
If he sits out this year, his 5th year option also rolls over to next year so they would be back at square one. He shouldn’t hold out until next off-season.
It would be a huge blow to his career as well. Mutually-destructive armageddon, except the 49ers will continue on as a franchise. How did LeVeon Bell’s career go after sitting out a full season?
Should be really fun in the locker room. I’ll bet he doesn’t go over the middle, either. I would go about half speed and collect my $14 million and not “lay it on the line” for an organization that won’t extend him. Probably in the team’s best interest to trade him.
It has been proven in the past with Shanahan if the effort is not there, you don’t play (especially at WR). That would also be damaging to his brand and singing a lucrative deal next year. If he wants big money, he balls out this year on his 5th year option and then sign somewhere else on a big money contract.
Neither team needs him and both now have equally if not better options.
Detroit just paid AM St Brown lol
I know but DET needs another WR. Didn’t say they will do it just said I would like to see him in DET lol.
@Devious One—oh my bad ok then lol I mean yeah he could look very good in grey and blue. Every other WR they have is on either a rookie deal or cheap contract. It’s possible for sure.
Your good, I get it. DET just paid their guy but they will be in a bad spot if St Brown gets hurt. Its just wishful thinking, I doubt Aiyuk goes to a contender if he even gets traded.
True true
“Omar Khan on Line 1. And also on Lines 2, 3, and 4.”
Pay to get the man, whatever it takes. And then pay Aiyuk, as well. Enough already. It’s the glaring hole in their offseason moves
Disagree there. He’s not the only piece that’s keeping them from a championship, and I don’t think he’s worth as much as he’s reportedly thinking he is.
If the price is right, make the deal. It doesn’t hurt to ask. But I’m not paying him 30 million a year, and I’m not giving up first round picks if it was me, either.
If the Niners think he’s a product of their system and not worth what he’s asking, why would anyone else think they know better?
A huge hole on the team… yes. Worth what it will cost in terms of trade assets and future contract… no thanks, I’ll pass. I agree with Monkey’s Uncle, we’re not one piece away and we have no clue what our WB situation will be a year from now.
You both raise solid points. No debate there
But if the rhetoric is true about “win now” from Rooney and their off season deals —especially bringing in Wilson—it’s a no brainer and fits the narrative
Normally, I’d agree about losing draft capital. But is the emphasis on the “now” or beyond, with Fields
Guess I’m just not sure about Pickens having the maturity to be a number one and very much the “lone wolf” at receiver
Trade for Aiyuk. Pay Aiyuk. Play this season with Russ and/or Fields at qb with both Pickens and Aiyuk. Next offseason trade Pickens to recoup some draft capital needed to aquire Aiyuk. Draft a qb and sign a Tyrod Taylor type as insurance. I’d rather have Aiyuk than Pickens on a 30 million deal.
If the idea is to win now, I mostly agree
To me, Pickens needs to put all of that other worldly potential into play this year. And be a leader of some sort
They’ve rebuilt the O-line. They’re set at linebacker. Secondary remains to be seen
The draft priority needs to be D-line if a guy like Aiyuk gets here.
Although trade requests are commonplace tactics in contract negotiations nowadays, Aiyuk’s conduct bothers me for some reason. The team is certainly better with him on the field, but he’s not THE guy, and he has zero leverage.
If we trade him, does Aiyuk and a 1st/2nd get us Davante Adams?
Yes
You want to spend a first or second round pick to trade a top ten receiver who wants a top of the market contract for a top ten receiver who already has a top of the market contract and is more than five years older?
I know it seems illogical on the surface, but yes. This is a win-right-now team.
Among other things, a team that has this many huge contracts to worry about should not be in the business of trading away high draft picks for funsies. They’re going to need rookie contract starters.
I was not a fan of Diontae Johnson and understood they wanted to get rid of a disruptive player. Ok
But their lack of foresight in just trading without a plan to have a viable candidate to take his place is stunning. Maybe the kid from Michigan will make it all a moot point
Just really a strange trade in hindsight
The guy is guaranteed $14M this year and is a UFA in 2025. 49ers play the game and he’s under pressure to make sure he performs to get that 2025 payday Carolina Panthers or some other crappy organization.
Every year I get to this point in the summer and every time I see or hear a name I groan. This year, far and away, its “Aiyuk.”
He’s free to hold out, complain, and be fined, and the team doesn’t have to move or negotiate with him for 2 years (year 5, then tag). I don’t want that because we’ll keep hearing his name.
Yes great points
I’d trade him in a heart beat collect a 1st and 2nd rounder. Take back a WR in the deal.
Send him to the Colts ask for a 1st, 2nd, and either Mitchell or Downs who are on their rookie contracts, probably Mitchell
Aiyuk gives Richardson a better receiver across Pittman, aiyuk pittman and downs are a pretty nasty wr room, and colts can sign aiyuk with Richardson under contract for the next 4 years via rookie contract.
49ers perspective you already took Pearsall and have 2 more years of cheap Purdy. Gonna need to start stacking cheap contracts elsewhere as ppl get expensive. Plus you get back Mitchell.
Ravens really need somebody that can stretch the field and catch at the point of attack.
Flowers is the perfect slot. Bateman is an underneath possession receiver and probably a 3rd WR at best. They havent been good at drafting WR’s , outside of Tre . So it makes sense to go out and trade for one .
I love the player fit, but it’s hard to see the money working. They’re up against the cap this year and currently slated to be a few million over the cap next year. They’ll likely move on from Humphrey, but without some drastic moves, this doesn’t seem like a team that can add a top of the market receiver contract.
I was figuring with Ronnie Stanley coming off the books , and like you said move on from Humphrey, they’d have some wiggle room. Marcus Williams might even become expendable with Kyle Hamilton’s presence.
Lamar could convert salary. Other teams always find a way to get under . Baltimore just tries to do right by their players, sometimes it backfires.
I think most of us saw this coming. Purdy is due a HUGE payday, they already paid Bosa, Kittle and Samuel, CMC… there just isn’t enough space to appease everyone. Mighta missed their window of winning a ring with this group. If Shanahan didn’t repeatedly wet himself when it mattered most, these guys would have at least one ring, probably too.
***two
Could have played for a different coach, not young Shanahan. In that case, they’d be lucky to see a single conference championship. You go home from the ball with whom you came.
Oh, one exception – one coach, Andy Reid has piled up more conference championships and won some Super Bowls. Shanahan is the second best coach for whom to play in the last five years.
Did I read this right, dude is expecting what Jefferson got? I mean he’s a good WR but I don’t think he’s Jefferson tier..
Every new WR contract sets the bar higher. I refer to Hill as the best example
They should have locked him in at $23 million per season last offseason! Everyone also says how smart ShanaLynch is. Then why didn’t didn’t they lock him up when they could have and why do they continue to be the only two people on the planet who don’t realize they are a decent RT away from a ring? AAAAHHHHHH
Personally I’d move him AND Debo. They’ll be in cap hell soon and WR’s are readily available in every draft.
My guys really could use Aiyuk. I think he completely changes the way the team is viewed. I think it makes alot of sense to get him. My biggest concern is the WR room.
But Im still not completely onboard. I have doubts about putting another me-first guy in the team.
The entire price point to acquire him (trade asset plus new salary) gives me pause too.
If it were to someone happen – Im not upset. If we make a conscious decision to pass – Im ok with that too.
Im sort of ambivalent to trading for him, which feels weird to me.
Bills, Jags, and Steelers as all possible playoff teams that might. Ravens maybe too.
Washington only because Daniels. I don’t think they trade him to an NFC team, but then again KC moved Hill to another AFC team and Hill is a more explosive player. Diggs to another AFC team.
Bills are the only team out of that bunch that needs him. Jags need someone to help keep their QB happy too. Engram and Kirk aren’t gonna cut it by themselves.
Bills drafted a receiver in the first round and signed Gabe Davis. I don’t think they’d make that big ticket a receiver move right now.
Gabe Davis Left the Bills
Whoops, I meant the Jag
Brian Thomas Jr. is a great young prospect. I think the rookie is going to shine in JAX.
The Commies have enough receivers and should keep their powder dry. The right veteran offensive lineman for instance to complete a decent set up front.
New England, please for the love of god.