After an eventful week, the 49ers‘ top outside receiver/rumor machine remains on the NFC champions’ roster. Brandon Aiyuk‘s hold-in continues, and connections to teams have slowed a bit.
Details on the Patriots and Browns’ offers have emerged, and SI.com’s Albert Breer now sheds some light on where the Steelers have gone for the fifth-year wideout. Pittsburgh has offered a deal around $28MM per year. Aiyuk was believed to be less than satisfied with Pittsburgh’s proposal, and San Francisco has also expressed hesitancy regarding a Steelers trade package.
An early report had the Patriots’ offer beyond $28.5MM, but a subsequent assessment of New England’s proposal placed it in the $32MM-AAV area. Aiyuk hesitancy about joining the Patriots is interesting, given the offer. It is also unclear what the Pats were proposing the 49ers in trades, though Breer notes the 49ers asked for Kendrick Bourne. That is rather interesting since Bourne began his career in San Francisco, though he is obviously not on Aiyuk’s level and is coming off an ACL tear.
The Browns are believed to have offered Amari Cooper, along with second- and fifth-round picks. One of last week’s many Aiyuk storylines indicated he nixed a deal to Cleveland. Still, this would be a fascinating swap, seeing as Cleveland traded for another 2020 first-round wideout (Jerry Jeudy) months ago and gave him an extension. Cooper remains on his Cowboys-constructed contract, albeit with some incentives for 2024, and would satisfy a 49ers desire to acquire immediate receiving help if they are to actually trade Aiyuk.
Letting Aiyuk’s camp speak with teams doubled as a 49ers fact-finding mission, and while the Steelers may still be in this, Breer predicts this saga ends with a San Francisco deal finally coming to fruition. As of midsummer, the 49ers were believed to be in the $26-$27MM-per-year range. The Steelers’ approximate $28MM-per-year proposal would place Aiyuk around the point Jaylen Waddle settled at this offseason. Aiyuk has long been tied to wanting an AAV around the $30MM Amon-Ra St. Brown number, but the lack of interest in New England also effectively confirms he wants to join a team with fewer questions on offense.
The Dolphins gave Waddle a $28.25MM-AAV accord complete with $76MM guaranteed. The Steelers have not been big on multiyear guarantees for non-quarterbacks (or T.J. Watt), with signing bonuses doing much of the post-Year 1 work in most of the old-school franchise’s contracts. It would not surprise if that component is producing Aiyuk’s hesitancy regarding a Steelers offer. Of course, the 49ers would need to sign off on a deal to move him. And the Steelers, barring a counterproductive George Pickens inclusion, do not have a receiver to send over.
As of late last week, the Steelers were content to let the chips fall. Breer adds they do not want to include a player in their offer. An increased offer does not sound likely, though nothing can be completely ruled out right now. Following a work week of trade talks, the 49ers ramped up their extension effort — after another meeting with the player.
Months into this process, we continue to wait. The 49ers completed extensions with George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa after training camp started. The sides now have more information as to what Aiyuk’s market is. That should provide a pathway to a deal or a trade — at long last.
How will he ever survive on 28 mill instead of 30 mill. We should all feel sorry for aiyuk being so under appreciated. Someone start a gofundme
Not only that, but he would double this year’s salary w/ Pitt’s deal.
Honestly the biggest issue with how he’s handled this isn’t even the contract demands. He clearly wanted an extension to happen this whole offseason. He waited until after free agency, after the draft, and right before training camp to finally go public on a trade demand. Teams already spent money for next year. $20-30 mil isn’t something teams just have hiding under the couch cushion. He should have asked for this months ago and is now pissed there isn’t a market for him.
I think he did that intentionally. He’s turned down the Browns who knew they’d have to pay him. That deal would’ve given the 49ers Amari Cooper(who’s less than Aiyuk but good second receiver) and picks. I think Aiyuk wants a SF extension and is making it as hard as possible to trade him so they have to pay him. The whole way he’s handled it has been calculated. Going on social media to say SF didn’t want him. Calling for a meeting with SF brass. Waiting to demand a trade. Nixing the Browns deal. All lead me to believe he wants top of the market from SF. He knows SF needs a receiver of decent caliber in a deal and most teams have spent their cap. It’s so hard to make a trade of this magnitude work at this point. SF is sort of to blame though they knew Aiyuk was stirring the pot and knew his asking price to think he’d be happy playing out his 5th year was highly unlikely. The 49ers dream world he plays on year five deal and they can either tag him or tender him and be able to match an offer or get draft pick compensation because they wanna win this year and want all the weapons they can get. But Aiyuk is pushing as hard as possible
I actually think that Cooper is at least as good as Aiyuk or better (along with a longer history of good performances), but I agree. Is he better for the 9ers, though? I don’t think that Cooper fits Shanahan’s system nearly as well, and is older, so your point evens out. In either case, it’s not that important. Cooper is a bona fide number one who can hold down the spot on a less lucrative deal for the team, and the Browns are obviously willing to make the Watson campaign work. They would pay Aiyuk.
Aiyuk is more to blame for not having a deal than the 9ers by far, in my mind, because he’s the one who turned down at least two viable offers (from Cleveland and New England), and possibly is about to nix a third (from Pittsburgh). The first two offered the money that he wanted, which apparently was Aiyuk’s motivation, and presumably the compensation that his team wanted. The last is offering a team that he wants, for a little less money. Maybe Aiyuk was really holding out for Washington to swoop in with a megadeal and compensation, but they haven’t.
I don’t know if Aiyuk has considered that a contending team is not typically going to throw around top of the market money to a position player not already on the roster (maybe someone that they drafted and has produced for them already), and that top of the market money is typically not going to come from a contending team. Most big market deals come in free agency, and not this late in the year. The contenders have already planned out their spending by this point. Now, the Steelers don’t really have incentive or need to increase their offer. The 9ers, more importantly, don’t have to, either.
Unless Aiyuk reconsiders New England or Cleveland, what leverage he did have is worthless. Even if he did have a no-trade clause, which he does not, Aiyuk’s leverage only matters as long as there are people willing to trade for him. As he eliminates suitors, he decreases its value by not having any offers to play them off of. Now, San Fran and Pittsburgh can just say, “nah, we’re not offering any more,” and Aiyuk is going to have to pick between them or sit it out. I don’t think that there was any way for San Francisco, or anyone else, to anticipate that Aiyuk would be THIS particular about every facet of his deal-where he plays AND what he is paid. Usually players (or their agents) pick which is more important (usually the latter) and go with that. Honestly, the 9ers really could have been callous and traded him already, despite Aiyuk’s wishes, but they haven’t. Aiyuk doesn’t seem to have any options at this point that don’t lead to settling-either for less money in Pittsburgh or in back in San Francisco.
Let’s not forget the 49’ers cap situation in the coming 2025 yesr.
If they’re to pay Purdy big bucks can they afford to shell out a multi year 28-30M for Aiyuk? Doing so would mean they would need to trim salary elsewhere.
Sure players want the biggest piece of the pie they can muster yet what’s the impact to the overall ‘team’ construct?
There’s no guarantee the cap will jump as it did for 2024 and a ‘modest’ normal cap increase doesn’t make his salary palatable. As stated there’s only so much money owners can post each year and void years is nothing but padding the credit card burden down the road.
In the end we, the fans of football, just beat the bones of this particular player / contract / teams subject until we’re pounding nothing but dust until we tire of the selfishness and begin to ignore the pettiness of dispute.
If this Bozo is worth 30 million Jefferson is worth 50 along with Chase. Wish he would decide to come in and the 49ers say, no thanks, we’re trading you to Carolina. What a piece of garbage this dude is. People losing their homes, living on the streets, others can’t afford groceries and this j*ck off is crying because nobody wants to overpay him for being the 19th best receiver in the NFL
A+
While I fully agree that those are all things that need to be addressed; nothing changes significantly, regardless of if Aiyuk gets 25m or 32m a year. People will still have those same problems. The 49ers (or whichever team he ultimately is paid by) aren’t going to funnel any savings from Aiyuk’s contract into those things. This boils down to a millionaire trying to get more money from a billionaire, which is all part of a multi-million dollar industry. Being the millionaire is putting his body on the line, I generally side with them- especially since NFL contracts aren’t typically fully guaranteed.
I don’t want to dive into too much non-football stuff here, but I will say, instead of calling Aiyuk a piece of garbage for wanting a few more million dollars, I’d first ask why Jeff Bezos doesn’t pay taxes. Just saying. His taxes would do a lot more than whatever extra money Aiyuk is asking for.
I can hold two thoughts at the same time.
Yeah, tax loopholes are a joke.
Also – Aiyuk is acting spoiled and ungrateful.
He’s acting spoiled and ungrateful in an industry ran by spoiled and ungrateful billionaires. I feel bad for the fans and front office people but certainly not for the owners.
This has always been my thought too. These guys could have a life altering injury or even die on the field at any moment. How can I begrudge them for fighting for every cent from the billionaire owners.
Because it’s not zero sum, here. Every dollar Aiyuk gets leaves less for the other players you also sympathize with. They’re the ones who lose, not the billionaire. The billionaire is going to spend the same amount at the end of the year, no matter who gets it.
If I am a GM – I also have an obligation to make good decisions.
As much as fans don’t want to believe it, the salary cap is real and can have consequences.
Its the main reason why a franchise tag is unlikely for Aiyuk. If they had more cap room next year – Aiyuk would have less leverage now.
And they need to plan for the future too. Purdy is going to be interesting. If I am paying good WR top tier money, it affects the way I need to retain top talent.
Its not a billionaire vs a millionaire. That narrative just isn’t completely true. There are league rules to building your team.
Who put in the salary cap, let me give you a hint, it wasn’t the players.
Without a salary cap small market teams couldn’t compete! You would have loaded teams like they do in baseball. Does it always translate to a championship, no, but I’m willing to bet they still finish ahead of teams that stay under the salary cap!
@notoe- Small market teams compete all the time in baseball, and you even acknowledge big market teams don’t always win so I’m not sure of the point you’re making. The Yankees haven’t won since 2009, the Mets haven’t won since 1986, the Phillies haven’t won since 2008, the Angels haven’t won since 2002, the White Sox haven’t won since 2005, the Dodgers have only one once since 1989 and it was a shortened season, and we all know the droughts the Red Sox and Cubs went through.
Point is ‘to create a level field’.
Wasn’t just the cap twas also limiting player counts and dropping the draft to only 7 rounds from 12.
If you are upset about the structure of rules, that is a different argument. They are all operating under the same rules.
Gms still need yo make business decisions. I
For what it’s worth it is s mutually agreed union contract in which you the players are getting a slightly bigger share of the pie.
Jeff Bezos pays more in taxes every year than most of us will make in a lifetime. Every one of his employees pays taxes, which they would not be if he did not have them working for him. He also pays taxes on purchases. (Cars, land, homes, etc) Aren’t you comparing apples to oranges ? On one hand we have a spoiled punk who won’t honor a contract he signed PLAY a game for a living. On the other we have a business owner who provides jobs for tens or hundreds of thousands of people, provides a service especially to those who are homebound, and does a lot with charities. I don’t understand why people believe these millionaires or billionaires don’t pay taxes when you personally can look it up online, but instead you take the word of some talking head on television. The whole thing boils down to integrity.A man is only as good as his word, and this piece of garbage is not honoring his contact. He is lucky to be getting paid to play a game but he’s either to stupid or ungrateful to realize he’s fortunate to be where he is and getting paid to do something he likes.
To be fair: look up Bezos.
Look up corporate tax dodgers.
Its a real thing.
There is so much to add to this.
But that has absolutely nothing to do with this Aiyuk situation.
@MWRWTF
Counterpoint: People leave real world jobs without fulfilling the terms of their contracts for companies that offer higher pay or higher levels of security all the time. No one says a negative thing about this because people typically applaud their friends and family for securing increased pay and/or a better job title.
The only reason anyone is upset here is because it affects one’s fandom. And before the point about multi-million dollar salary is reiterated, let me point out the countless individuals who leave companies in which they earn a six or seven figure salary as CEO or CFO (see Bob Iger now making $50M per year as Disney’s CEO) at one Fortune 500 company for a pay raise at another without a word of negativity from anyone.
You are comparing apples to oranges. The NFL has contracts and roster construction rules.
The 15th best receiver is becoming a distraction because he wants top pay.
His resume isn’t that of a top 5 receiver.
When a fair contract was offered – he balked.
When a trade was offered by NE with a new contract he balked.
It is 100 percent fair to question his motivation and even judge him.
This entire conversation is so stupid and nobody really wants to understand the entire dynamic. We only want to lump this into owners vs players.
That isn’t the issue.
I’m not arguing against any of that. I’m only making a counterpoint to the statement MWRWTF made that says “on one hand we have a spoiled punk who won’t honor a contract he signed PLAY a game for a living…”
Lots of people don’t honor contracts they sign. 99% of people seek out the highest salary they can receive. That’s my only point. Idgaf about roster construction or cap rules or owners vs. players with regards to my last comment. I also don’t care if it considers the “dynamics” that are involved in the NFL. Players should 100% seek out the best contract they can get. They may never see another down of football. It happens with regularity. I don’t love the way Aiyuk is going about it, but calling a guy “a spoiled punk” is a weak mindset, imo.
NFLPA should absolutely be aiming to abolish the cap and get fully guaranteed contracts during the next CBA negotiations, much like the MLB, a sport that’s way less dangerous.
In addition to that, it’s disingenuous for him to refer to it as just “a game” when considering the career-altering and career-ending injury rate and how those can also be life-altering. There are plenty of former NFL players who endure injuries that hang on for the rest of their lives, whether it be muscular, skeletal, or brain. Reggie Williams estimated that he had to pay almost $1 million in medical bills by age 58.
Tired of people spouting about ‘career ending’ for any ball player that’s working under a multimillion dollar salary agreement.
Look at Veterans that are paid a couple grand per month then lose both legs to end up with a 3k per month disability check….these pampered ball players know the risk, just as a Vet does, and could opt to get a safe job from their ‘educational’ pursuit but jump at the quick big bucks.
So stop with the excuses because it’s all about greed and peer envy and few consider the ‘team’ and how their diva salaries impact totality of team construct.
I hope the 49ers play hardball with him. He’s under contract for 2024. He can play on his current contract or retire. They’ve made a good faith effort to extend him or trade him. Eff him at this point.
So you feel the same way about Trent Williams then as well? Play on contract or retire?
Didn’t think so
Apples and oranges. But you know that.
Williams hasn’t handled it the same and he actually deserves top of the market on a short term deal because of age. Aiyuk wants to reset the WR market and he’s not up there with those he wants more than. The cap has gone up and wr salaries have gone up but these are recent deals just because he’s last shouldn’t make him the highest paid. He should cost more than last year but not top of the market
Williams hasn’t handled it well, either (waiting until camp to announce a hold out makes no sense for the same reason that Aiyuk’s pickiness doesn’t-the money’s already been spent or been planned for), but he has several differences from Aiyuk that make his case a bit better:
1. He’s relatively better. Aiyuk is good, but Williams is undeniably the best tackle in the league.
2. He hasn’t demanded a trade.
3. He hasn’t, to build on the previous point, turned down multiple offers, from either the 9ers or the potential trade partners, that were seemingly fair or seemingly fit his criteria.
4. Williams’ issue seems to possibly be more about guaranteed money. He’s already slotted as the fifth highest paid tackle right now, which should be adequate, but it isn’t guaranteed. As an older player, that means more.
5. Aside from being better, Williams is also more crucial than Aiyuk to the 9ers’ game plan. Consider that he is involved in every offensive play, not just on those on which that he is targeted or is told to block specifically.
6. Williams, who has a credible threat about retiring, has actual leverage because of that. Aiyuk does not.
Now, there are factors working against Williams relative to Aiyuk-his age, how kate this demand showed up, how he pushed it while he knew that the 9ers were confounded with Aiyuk, the fact that he’s already made a fuss about a deal and ended up in San Fran as a result, and that this deal, that he signed and pushed for, is the product of that. But San Fran, to our knowledge, hasn’t made any substantial offers to Williams yet, and he hasn’t been shutting them all down.
We’ll have to see how negotiations go, but he may just accept more guaranteed money and be happy to not retire. If he shuts down a series of reasonable offers like Aiyuk, it’d be more similar. But if San Fran manages to trade Aiyuk by some miracle, or tables this extension to next year (perhaps they get a deal done before the deadline, due to Aiyuk changing his mind or another team offering more), the Williams money can easily come out of that.
As much as it hurts the 49ers to not have Williams, him retiring isn’t a horrible thing in the long-term scheme of things. He would be lifting a huge cap hit off the 49ers allowing them to keep more talent elsewhere. It would also guarantee a LT signing in FA next off-season or a top draft choice going to the tackle position. They have to cross that road sooner or later so you can never fault them to do it when the cap hit is less rather then rework a deal and then a 36 year old tackle blows his knee out and you are stuck with a huge cap hit that hampers the team.
Well said but one point about Williams that people are missing is that this is by design. He is older and trying to save his body. The 49ers will restructure and give him a little more money and pay all his fines. This is the only conclusion because again this was done by design. Aiyuk has created a circus and his timing on everything has been poor. He’s made his own bed. I think he is realizing that based on the fact that the Steelers were reportedly offering less money than the 49ers.
Everything I have seen is that the Steelers were offering around 28 million and the Niners were around 26 million. I think the niners offered the trade situation to gauge what others valued him and it isn’t much more than what they started with. The NE offer was just because they know it’s not a desirable destination and they offered a little more to entice him because they are desperate for WR help.
He very well may end up playing and it could easily just be the 6 games required for his contract not to toll. It’s crazy that the owners agreed to that. Huge coup for the NFLPA in those negotiations.
Then he will get franchised, and we will be back at square one again. At that point, the Niners will more than likely want to get rid of him as they will have more trade partners to up the ante since teams will have injuries and holes to plug in.
In 2024, nobody is franchising a guy a second time who held out for 2/3 of the previous season. That’s an insane cap hold for 6 games and he will have killed all his trade value because why would a team trade for a WR on a second tag? He would almost certainly become a free agent.
2025 will be the first franchise tag, This year is the 5th year option on his rookie deal.
That alleged Browns offer is crazy … no way he’s worth Cooper , 2nd and 5th. Aiyuk is a very good player and younger than Cooper but for this year that’s a terrible deal and throwing away future picks. He’s good but not that good. JJ, Tyreek, Chase , AJ Brown, Lamb, DJ Moore for sure are better
Higgins , Collins and several others are close.
Yards per catch none of the receivers you listed were better.
That’s 1 stat … that’s part a product of Aiyuk talent and also the dynamic offense that allows him to be open. Drop him on half the teams in the league and that YAC stat becomes average
I doubt his YAC stat would become average… YAC was his entire game in college. The Shanahan offense certainly helps increase it, but I think he would still be way above average in that area; however, I agree that YPC is just one stat and there are things all of those WRs can do that Aiyuk cannot.
Good point. Maybe average wasn’t the right word … let’s just say less but still above league average.
You also have to remember that the 49ers threw the ball the least of any team last year and he had to share the love. Give him 150 targets and opinions would change.
I am with you. I’m a 49ers fan and am really upset they weren’t able to get that trade done. End the circus, not much of a downgrade, and add draft capitol. The idea of this nonsense being over I guess was too good to be true haha
As a Steelers fan, I was all for bringing Aiyuk here
But as time goes by and more news filters out, I keep wondering if the Steelers have been down this road before with guys like AB and Claypool
Sheesh.
Give Aiyuk the 10.6 targets CeeDee Lamb gets instead of the 6.6 he gets now and he’d have 1800 yards and absolutely deserve the money he wants. Top rated WR against man and 2nd to Jefferson against zone. (PFF ratings). He’s an elite receiver on a team with many elite skill players that are suppressing his numbers. Give him WR1 targets and he will absolutely earn WR1 money
“He’s an elite receiver on a team with many elite skill players that are suppressing his numbers”
On the contrary, I think all those elite options open up the field for Aiyuk more. Defenses having to give legit attention to Deebo, Kittle, CMC, and whichever other receiving option is on the field keeps him from being bracketed, straight doubled, having to contend with an excess amount of safety help, etc.
Aiyuk is a beast, don’t get me wrong, but he has shortcomings in his game that WRs like Jefferson and Chase don’t have.
I don’t blame any football player for asking for any amount of money. There are no guarantees in life, and very few in the NFL. Having said that… I don’t blame teams for saying no to Aiyuk, either.
Pro athletes are retired by 35. Get that money while you can, it has to last the rest if your life.
Money ruined professional sports. It’s ruined collegiate sports. The integrity is gone. The sanctity of individual games now in question
Your comment struck me as funny. Most of these guys have ensured their kids, grandkids and great grandkids will never have to work a day in their lives. But yeah, greed is good
Greed isn’t good and whether you have tens of thousands of dollars or tens of millions of dollars it’s very easy to blow it all away. So his kids and grandkids are guaranteed nothing. I don’t know Aiyuk, likely never will, but I’m not going to denigrate him for trying his best to maximize his earnings at the apex of his potential worth in terms of money.
Specifics aside, I’d say that a hypothetical that needs to be considered when forming philosophy on this subject is to consider if there if there is a point when greed gets in the way of money. Can wanting too much stop you from making as much as you can?
Without money you don’t have professional sports. Hence the word professional as in profession as in a job as in jobs get paid. Can’t have it both ways bud what you’re describing is college football pre NIL
Doesn’t really matter what the Steelers offer to Aiyuk is if they aren’t willing to include what the Niners need to make the trade happen.
Seems like if the 49ers end up paying $30M/AAV then the California tax bite will bring that down to less than what the Steelers offered. I say the Steelers should stick to their guns and if it happens, it happens, if not, oh well.
That’s TOO MUCH MAN
The Steelers don’t have a Quarterback
He deserves the extension and $28M, but being picky about where he goes is insane. He’s only making this worse for himself.
2 half QB’s equals 1 QB in Pitt.
They had Roethlisberger for a long time, no sympathy for them.
Two quarterbacks better than half the league?
Okay enjoy your koolaid
And they’re still 7-1 over their last 8 against your Ravens.
Hahaha
Truth be told…I am all over the place with teams….but have settled on the Bucs….because of Mayfield
Sounds like he is playing for the 49ers this year. as the time for working out a deal has come and gone.
49ers fan. I wish we would have taken the Browns offer. All of his drama and grandstanding has gotten quite old. He wants to stay but he demands a trade. He thinks he’s worth 30 million and is holding up our whole season and attempt to finally get over the top and win over 2-4 million a year. I wish they would just trade him already. He’s not nearly as good as he apparently thinks he is but he truly doesn’t warrant this kind of circus.
If you work in an industry with only 32 employers, and 3 of them make you a good job offer, and you turn them down, don’t expect to get anything better or anything at all.