Brandon Aiyuk

Browns Offered Brandon Aiyuk $30MM Per Year; Latest On 49ers’ Process

August 30th, 2024 at 10:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos may have overtaken the Browns in terms of Brandon Aiyuk relevance, as their decision to turn down a 49ers offer for Courtland Sutton may well have triggered a chain reaction that cost the Steelers their chance at the All-Pro wide receiver.

Weeks before Aiyuk finally accepted San Francisco’s $30MM-per-year offer, he is believed to have received the same AAV proposal from the Browns, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link). The Browns did not last too long as an Aiyuk suitor, but as the 49ers let the contract-seeking wideout speak with other teams to gauge his market, Cleveland’s offer outflanked Pittsburgh’s.

Not reported to have submitted Aiyuk an extension offer worth more than $28MM per year, the Steelers indeed checked in south of that point. They were at $27.7MM per annum, Rapoport adds. That would have placed Aiyuk behind Jaylen Waddle and ahead of D.J. Moore. When it all wrapped, Aiyuk surpassed both on a frontloaded agreement. He is now the NFL’s sixth $30MM-AAV receiver.

Browns-49ers talks occurred in early August, at the same point the player’s camp was negotiating with the Patriots and Steelers. Trade framework with both Cleveland and New England emerged. Aiyuk’s AFC negotiations still led him back to the table with the 49ers, but not before the Browns had made an interesting offer.

Cleveland is believed to have dangled Amari Cooper, along with second- and fifth-round picks, for Aiyuk. With Cooper in a contract year, the Browns were planning to have Aiyuk at $30MM per annum and Jerry Jeudy at $17.5MM a year. It will be interesting to see if Cooper’s camp, which could not secure an extension this offseason, uses this Aiyuk offer in future negotiations. With the Browns probably not eager to acquire a player who did not want to land in Cleveland, the trade ended up on the cutting-room floor; Aiyuk is believed to have shown little interest in the Browns or Patriots.

The Pats indeed offered $32MM per year, Rapoport confirms. That led the pack in terms of extension offers, and it marked a stark deviation from how the organization proceeded under Bill Belichick. But Eliot Wolf has signed off on a spree of extensions and re-signings for Belichick-era pieces this year. The team also made a strong effort to sign Calvin Ridley in free agency, only to see the Titans come out victorious. The Ridley and Aiyuk pursuits reflected where the Pats believe they are deficient, and they will go into Drake Maye‘s rookie year with an undermanned group — albeit one including second-round rookie Ja’Lynn Polk.

As for the Browns, they have made trades for Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy over the past two offseasons. Those two will join Cooper, whose contract issue eventually produced an incentive package. Cooper remains a 2025 free agent-to-be. The high-end route runner would have made for an interesting 49ers addition, and the sides could have worked out a contract. Though, Cooper is four years older than Aiyuk. Part of the reason the 49ers wanted to re-up the 2020 first-rounder stemmed from his prime being ahead of him. Cooper already has seven 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, but he will naturally decline earlier.

Cooper also has a superior resume to Sutton, who would have made for a different type of Brock Purdy target compared to Aiyuk. More of a jump-ball threat and possession receiver, the 28-year-old Denver wideout is coming off a 10-touchdown year. The Broncos clearly want the seventh-year pass catcher, who remains on a team-friendly deal that runs through 2025, to help the team develop Bo Nix.

None of these teams would have been relevant in the Aiyuk negotiations had the 49ers hammered out a deal early this offseason. While it is not exactly fair to penalize the NFC West club for not completing a deal before the Lions extended Amon-Ra St. Brown in April, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds the team’s initial offer in the $27MM-per-year neighborhood would have gotten a deal done before the Lions wideout cashed in at $30.01MM per annum.

By July, the 49ers still stood at $27MM per year. We heard the team upped its offer in early August. By August 12, it is believed the $30MM-AAV proposal was on the table. Aiyuk managed to skip two more weeks’ worth of practice, but the sides finally reached an agreement. After the comments of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch this week, Rapoport adds the 49ers essentially gave Aiyuk an ultimatum: either agree to the team’s offer or take the Steelers trade.

San Francisco did not only contact Denver about an escape-hatch wide receiver; the team made calls to several other teams about pass catchers, Rapoport adds. It is not known if the 49ers offered a third-rounder to any other team, but the Broncos — perhaps a sign for Sutton’s potential pre-deadline availability — are the only known team to pass on being the third party in what would have essentially been a three-team trade.

The 49ers were always the favorites here, but Aiyuk having interest in Cleveland or New England would have made matters more interesting due to the extension offers both clubs made.

49ers, WR Brandon Aiyuk Agree To Deal

August 30th, 2024 at 7:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 30: Full details on the Aiyuk pact are in, courtesy of Florio. The frontloaded compensation includes a $23MM signing bonus, $11MM of which will be paid out in the next two weeks. His 2025 earnings are made up of $20.88MM in base salary, roster and workout bonuses which are guaranteed at signing. Another $4MM will be locked in on April 1 of that year. Altogether, this deal consists of $45MM fully guaranteed, with the $76MM total guarantee figure set to emerge not long after the 2025 league year begins.

Aiyuk’s 2026 salary ($1.22MM) and per-game roster bonuses ($750K) are guaranteed for injury at signing and will fully vest one year early. Notably, his salaries for 2027 and ’28 – $27.27MM and $29.15MM – are not guaranteed, so the 49ers will be able to get out of the contract in either of those seasons (an unlikely development, given his age and production) barring adjustments being made down the road via restructures. Aiyuk’s 2024 cap number will drop to $5.73MM, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

AUGUST 29: Months of negotiating drama with Brandon Aiyuk, which featured trade talks with a few teams and an eventual trade agreement, defined the 49ers’ offseason. But the saga will end with a peaceful resolution. Aiyuk is not going anywhere, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reporting an extension is in place.

The 49ers have agreed to terms with Aiyuk on a four-year, $120MM deal, which Garafolo and Rapoport indicate includes $76MM guaranteed. This process will end closer to Aiyuk’s believed price point than San Francisco’s, but the defending NFC champs will have the second-team All-Pro back at work soon.

Aiyuk held in for 38 days, but as the 49ers did with Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel, a late-summer extension will bring a close to this chapter. Though, this was a more memorable saga than those involving Bosa and Samuel. Aiyuk is now signed through 2028, and this agreement suddenly brings Samuel’s Bay Area future — post-2024, that is — into question.

It looks as though the sides are meeting in the middle. Rather than sign a three-year deal like Samuel did in 2022, Aiyuk will be under 49ers control for four seasons beyond 2024. Instead of the $26-$27MM-per-year price point San Francisco — and would-be trade partner Pittsburgh — initially landed on, Aiyuk will become the NFL’s sixth $30MM-per-year wideout. Long seeking a deal at $30MM per, Aiyuk joins Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyreek Hill in this club, one that expanded from one to six this offseason.

Lamb’s extension may not have driven the 49ers’ talks across the goal line, as he and Jefferson are on a higher plane in terms of AAV and guarantees. But the market is effectively set for 2024, unless the Bengals make an unexpected deal with Ja’Marr Chase before 2025. This 49ers agreement coming to fruition less than two weeks before the season will wrap one of more voluminous sagas in PFR history.

This is a frontloaded deal, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who reports the contract includes $90MM over the first three years. This helps cover for Aiyuk not reaching guarantees past $80MM — a long-rumored ask. Although Aiyuk is now contracted through his age-30 season, he should have another chance — should the 2020 first-rounder’s career remain on this trajectory — to cash in on a big-ticket deal in his prime. Aiyuk, 26, will receive $47MM between now and April 1, 2025, Rapoport adds.

Considering the fight Aiyuk put up, it does appear a bit strange his $76MM guarantee number checks in only in a tie for sixth (with Jaylen Waddle, who signed a three-year extension) at the position. But the contract’s full guarantees and full payout structure will reveal the detailed ending to this long-running tale.

San Francisco’s resolution does not appear to have involved an 11th-hour raise, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes these numbers have been in place for weeks. Aiyuk, who has watched practices at points and been absent from practice fields at others, now must return to work ahead of the 49ers’ Monday Night Football debut against the Jets. Providing clarity, Schefter adds this offer has been on the table since August 12.

The 49ers have now dispensed with one half of their disgruntled-player contingent, with Trent Williams‘ holdout now moving toward center stage. Williams’ contract issue has a long way to go to catch Aiyuk in terms of updates, with this back-and-forth producing many twists and turns (featuring a few documented meetings) since the parties began negotiating months ago.

For the 49ers, this keeps an essential piece of the puzzle in place. A trade at this juncture would have made it difficult for the team, Kyle Shanahan‘s play-calling acumen notwithstanding, to produce an offense on the level of 2023’s machine. The 49ers have now extended Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey this year; Samuel and George Kittle are under contract through 2025.

Aiyuk is coming off his second straight 1,000-yard season; the Arizona State alum totaled 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns to help Brock Purdy deliver a historic 9.6 yards per attempt in 2023. Under the hood, Aiyuk’s numbers were even better. He ranked third in yards per route run (3.01) last season; this undoubtedly influenced his asking price, with Team Aiyuk effectively capitalizing on the 49ers needing him for another run in 2024. After falling short of 850 yards during each of his first two years, Aiyuk has put it together.

“We believe his best football is ahead of him,” a 49ers exec told veteran reporter Jordan Schultz. “He’s only 26, he’s still learning the intricacies of the position. This is an ascending player. … There’s no reason why he can’t have a similar career as a Davante Adams, for example.”

Aiyuk being offered $30MM per year on August 12 shows how well his camp did, considering the 49ers were at $26-$27MM per annum before that point. This all came after the 49ers let Aiyuk shop around. Despite a reported Patriots offer north of where this 49ers deal ended up, Aiyuk did not want to be dealt to New England. The Browns put Amari Cooper, along with second- and fifth-round picks, on the table; Aiyuk expressed disappointment in a Cleveland destination. Even the Commanders, who drafted ex-Aiyuk college QB Jayden Daniels, hovered on the Aiyuk periphery.

Playing for Mike Tomlin appealed to Aiyuk, but the Steelers’ offer did not exceed $28MM per year. This prompted the disgruntled receiver to return to the table with 49ers brass, and only minor details remained to be ironed out in recent days. Even though Pittsburgh’s contract offer was not quite what Aiyuk sought, the sides agreed on trade framework. This became a backup plan, though Aiyuk had long viewed San Francisco as his top choice. John Lynch had also continued to convey a desire for Aiyuk to be in the fold long term, and the 49ers’ top-level skill-position crew (now featuring first-round pick Ricky Pearsall) now has at least one more season to play together.

The Steelers falling short for Aiyuk spotlights a thin skill corps post-Diontae Johnson. George Pickens remains the top target for Tomlin’s team, and Pat Freiermuth looms as an extension candidate. Now-starter Russell Wilson, though, does not have much else of consequence to target. The team will need third-round rookie Roman Wilson, who missed training camp time due to injury, to step up early — barring a late-summer or in-season trade, that is.

Even though Pittsburgh’s receiver development has shined for many years, the team’s current setup — which also features ex-Rams and Falcons contributor Van Jefferson — appears thin. This is the ending the Steelers anticipated, however, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.

A champagne problem is approaching for the 49ers. With Aiyuk now signed and a Brock Purdy extension on the team’s 2025 radar, the prospect of Samuel’s future comes into focus. The 49ers may well be in trade talks again with a high-end wide receiver next year. Samuel will be 29 ahead of his 2025 contract year, and with Pearsall on a rookie deal for a while, he would be a more logical complement to his former Arizona State teammate — assuming Purdy is indeed extended — than Samuel, who joined Aiyuk in draft-weekend trade talks.

That is a down-the-road issue for the 49ers, who have managed to avoid what would have been an odd trade based on their trajectory. The team, which has continued to fall short in Super Bowls and NFC championship games, has retained the nucleus that pushed the Chiefs near double overtime in Super Bowl LVIII. Aiyuk will again be in place to help Purdy and Co. navigate that elusive hurdle this season.

49ers Made Offer For Broncos WR Courtland Sutton

August 29th, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandon Aiyuk‘s 49ers drama is over; the long-running extension saga ended with a $30MM-per-year deal. But the Steelers loom as the second-place finishers. Pittsburgh not having a wide receiver to send to San Francisco hurt its chances, as the 49ers understandably wanted an immediate replacement.

A workaround formed for the 49ers during the trade chapter — which featured framework with the Steelers — of this offseason-overshadowing Aiyuk drama. The defending NFC champions offered the Broncos a third-round pick for Courtland Sutton, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but Denver declined.

For all intents and purposes, this would have been akin to a three-team trade. The 49ers would have then traded Aiyuk to the Steelers, Russini implies, with the Broncos suddenly playing a central role in the “what if?” Aiyuk-to-Pittsburgh scenario. The Pittsburgh component also includes the team offering the 49ers second- and third-round picks for Aiyuk, SI.com’s Albert Breer reports. The Sutton piece of this puzzle would have involved the Pittsburgh third going to Denver.

Had the Sutton offer produced a deal, the 49ers would have been better positioned to send Aiyuk to the Steelers. With the Broncos keeping Sutton as their top wideout — after a Browns deal involving Amari Cooper fell through — the 49ers were in a tougher spot with Aiyuk. The parties returned to the table and hammered out an extension that locks in fifth-year standout through 2028.

Considering the Broncos unloaded Jerry Jeudy for fifth- and sixth-round picks, this seemingly would have been a tempting proposal. Sutton was acquired before Sean Payton‘s arrival, and only $2MM in guarantees remain on his through-2025 deal. Sutton has also been a trade-rumor mainstay since before the 2022 deadline. Denver holding off here suggests the team wants a proven target around Bo Nix, as a future Sutton trade proposal may well not include third-round compensation.

While Pittsburgh has only George Pickens as a proven starter-level receiver, the team did draft Roman Wilson in Round 3. The Steelers have turned several Day 2 wideouts into promising receivers, with Antonio Brown coming from Day 3. This edition, now featuring ex-Broncos QB Russell Wilson at the controls, looks to include Van Jefferson as Pickens’ top complement. It would have been out of character for the Steelers to bring in an outside receiver of Aiyuk’s caliber (and pay him the $27MM-plus-per-year deal they proposed), but it does look like the Omar Khan-led operation was close to doing so. It needed some help the Broncos were unwilling to provide.

San Francisco’s offer comes nearly 18 months after Denver nearly dealt Sutton to Baltimore. The Ravens were on the verge of acquiring Sutton in March 2023 but backed out and signed Odell Beckham Jr. The Broncos, who had set a second-round asking price on Sutton and a first-rounder on Jeudy last year, went back to the well with the two John Elway-era WR additions. Sutton overtook Jeudy as Russell Wilson’s top target, catching 10 touchdown passes — including a few acrobatic grabs — to help the team recover from a 1-5 start.

Jeudy is now in Cleveland; he may well have become Aiyuk’s Browns complementary piece, with the 49ers wideout nixing a trade that would have sent Cooper to San Francisco. Both Cooper and Sutton expressed disappointment in their contracts this offseason, though their respective teams agreed on mere incentive packages. Despite this low-key end to Denver’s Sutton talks, the team appears to value the 2018 second-rounder in Payton’s second year.

Russini’s report also pours some cold water on the Broncos unloading Sutton before the trade deadline. Denver just cut Tim Patrick, who had run with its starters for much of camp and the preseason, but has Sutton in place as its wideout anchor. The team will attempt to develop recent draftees Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele, as Josh Reynolds is now in place as veteran support. But Sutton, who is entering his age-29 season, will be relied upon to boost Nix’s rookie-year development.

49ers Medically Clear WR Brandon Aiyuk

August 28th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

As the 49ers continue their standoff with Brandon Aiyuk, the organization made a significant decision today. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the team medically cleared their wide receiver, paving the way for Aiyuk to start facing fines.

Aiyuk has been engaged in a hold-in throughout the summer, although the team seemed to accommodate his stance. The player attended training camp on time and was present for team meetings, and since the organization attributed his on-field absences to back and neck soreness. the player was able to avoid daily fines of $40K. Following today’s medical clearance, the 49ers now have a clear path to start fining Aiyuk for “unexcused missed activities.” The organization also has the option to suspend the player for “conduct detrimental to the team,” per Wagoner.

While neither coach Kyle Shanahan nor general manager John Lynch would reveal if they’d slap Aiyuk with those punishments, they did express optimism that the medically clearance would coax the player into practicing. Predictably, that didn’t end up happening on Wednesday, as Wagoner notes that Aiyuk was absent from the portion of practice that was open to reporters.

Shanahan later admitted that he was preparing as if the wideout wouldn’t be available for Week 1. When asked about the regular-season status of Aiyuk and offensive tackle Trent Williams (who also continues to push for a new deal), the head coach said he’s planning for Week 1 with the players he currently has on the practice field.

“I’m optimistic that things will work out with Trent,” Shanahan said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m not sitting here knowing what day it will be. I mean, we’re getting close to playing a game. So, like, my mind is completely on preparing for a game without those guys. But I feel when two sides want to get a deal done, usually it happens.”

Shanahan also told reporters that Aiyuk’s uncertainty played a role in the team’s decision to carry seven wideouts on their initial 53-man roster (per Wagoner). With Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall, and fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing seemingly safe regardless of Aiyuk’s status, the likes of Chris Conley and Ronnie Bell were the main beneficiaries of this continued saga.

Latest On WR Contracts

August 23rd, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The regular season draws ever nearer, and there are still three receivers who are waiting for new contracts. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk are still holding out from team activities, while Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is continuing with his hold-in.

Lamb is entering the final year of his rookie contract on a fifth-year option and, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the 25-year-old is angling for a contract to rival Justin Jefferson‘s recent deal in Minnesota. This doesn’t necessarily refer to annual average value, but focuses, as well, on guarantees, cashflow, and overall structure. Dallas and Lamb are expected to communicate this weekend as they attempt to get this extension over the finish line.

Chase is still not practicing as he attends team events in Cincinnati. The Bengals have exercised Chase’s fifth-year option, so the 24-year-old still has two years left on his rookie deal. While he hopes to enter the season with a new extension, his former LSU teammate, Jefferson, had to wait until after his fourth NFL season to secure his bag. It’s looking like the same might be true for Chase, but if that’s the case, Cincinnati needs to figure out a way to get Chase on the field and ready for the fast-approaching regular season. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network sees this coming week as a crucial time for the team to navigate this situation.

With Aiyuk, the rumors continue to swirl and paint an unreliable picture. Last night, in an interview on KNBR, Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle claimed that “everything is still on the table, including all the trades you’ve heard about.” He noted the Steelers and Commanders as teams not to rule out but left the picture as cloudy as ever.

After the team’s initial contract offer fell short of expectations, they attempted to bring Aiyuk back in to try and close the gap. Garafolo reports that the two sides don’t seem to be that far apart on contract figures anymore, and Aiyuk even traveled with the 49ers to their final preseason game in Las Vegas. While this may be a sign of good faith and a sign that the things could be on their way to a resolution, Silver’s comments still leave plenty of room for doubt.

The NFL season starts in 13 days. In order for these three receivers to be on the field for Week 1, they’re either going to need to have new contracts in hand or they’re going to need to come to terms with the fact that they’re going to be playing under their current deals with no guarantee that they won’t be testing free agency in the future. While most teams prefer not to have contract discussions during the regular season, there’s always a possibility that close negotiations bleed over a bit into September and deals are reached midseason.

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers Making Progress On Deal; Ownership Involved

August 22nd, 2024 at 4:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 22: During a Thursday appearance on KNBR radio, Lynch noted the potential for CeeDee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase to further alter the receiver market on Cowboys and Bengals extensions, respectively (h/t Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). Each of those pacts will likely check in at a rate above $30MM per season, although Cincinnati appears to be willing to wait until 2025 in Chase’s case.

Further upward movement in the market would likely boost Aiyuk’s asking price, but meeting the 49ers’ goal of finalizing a pact would eliminate that possibility. With other big-ticket deals on the books (and another on the way in the form of Brock Purdy), Lynch confirmed the team’s other commitments is another factor complicating an Aiyuk deal. Efforts to keep him – not to mention Trent Williams – in the fold continue.

AUGUST 20: Brandon Aiyuk continues to drift farther away from the Steelers’ grasp. The would-be trade candidate went through another meeting with 49ers brass. The sides are making progress toward an extension, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

This endless saga has produced multiple consequential meetings — a midsummer summit Aiyuk requested and an early-August powwow that seemed to come after a Steelers extension offer did not meet the receiver’s expectations — and this Monday effort can perhaps be added here. Aiyuk’s hold-in persists, but positive signs are emerging for the 49ers.

Although the 49ers have trade parameters in place with the Steelers, they are believed to have upped their offer from where it was around notable meeting No. 1 ($26-$27MM per year). The sides are believed to be in agreement on the major deal points, but Schultz adds the minor details are going up to the ownership level. The 49ers have managed to strike late-summer deals with George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Bosa during the 2020s. While Bosa scored a defender-record contract, Aiyuk is driving a hard bargain in his own right. That led to the trade talks, though those have steadily dissipated.

It is worth wondering if the Bears’ recent D.J. Moore extension helped lock in a price point for the 49ers and Aiyuk. The Bears gave Moore a $27.5MM-per-year extension that included $82.6MM in total guarantees. While the former Panthers first-rounder has a longer track record of consistency, Aiyuk nearly topped Moore’s career-best receiving yardage total (1,364) on far fewer targets. Aiyuk, who is one year younger than Moore (at 26), reached 1,342 yards on just 105 targets. Moore is currently the NFL’s seventh-highest-paid receiver; it is difficult to envision this arduous Aiyuk process finalizing without the 49ers topping that.

Aiyuk’s efficient 2023 has prompted the 49ers wideout to seek terms near the top of the ballooning WR market. While Aiyuk has not been tied to an ask too close to Justin Jefferson‘s $35MM-per-year record number, he has sought an AAV around Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s $30.01MM mark and guarantees in A.J. Brown territory ($84MM).

The Steelers’ offer coming in below $28MM per year appears to have sent Aiyuk back to negotiating with the 49ers, who have reengaged in serious talks for several days now. Pittsburgh not including any veteran players in its proposal, thus not helping a 2024 49ers team aiming to complete its long-held championship pursuit under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, has hurt the AFC North team’s cause as well. But Aiyuk did not show much interest in joining the Patriots or Browns, leaving the Steelers as the alternative to a long-term 49ers future.

A league source recently expressed surprise (via veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson) that Aiyuk did not show interest in a Patriots offer believed to be worth up to $32MM per year and feature a strong Year 1 payout. The 49ers, however, feature a setup Aiyuk has proven he can thrive in, and the receiver appears to hold Mike Tomlin in high enough regard it is viewed as a drawing card for the fifth-year wideout. For now, an Aiyuk-to-Pittsburgh reality is losing steam fast — as the 49ers try to complete an extension they have been at work on for several months.

49ers Getting Close On Trent Williams Extension?

August 21st, 2024 at 8:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Another day, another update concerning the contract situations in San Francisco. According to Cam Inman of The Mercury News, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave updates on the team’s ongoing negotiations today. While one update lacked an abundance of new information, Shanahan seemed to hint that the other could be on its way to a resolution.

Star offensive tackle Trent Williams has been committed to his holdout as the 36-year-old pushes for a new deal that improves upon the figures he’s currently stuck with until 2027. Our most recent update showed that Williams’ camp had been contacted by the team as they attempted to appease his dissatisfaction.

In an interview on KNBR, Shanahan told his interviewers, “I’ve had some contact with (Williams). It’s been good to talk to him. I know we’re negotiating hard. Nothing new to add, but hopefully it’s getting close.”

Williams’ presence on the field is far too impactful for the 49ers to risk not starting the season with him in uniform, especially with star running back Christian McCaffrey coming off an injury. With the team’s lack of experienced depth on the offensive line, especially at tackle, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll allow Williams to sit out for much longer.

Now, to the other situation: the hold-in of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Unfortunately, Shanahan’s update on the Aiyuk-negotiations were far less informative. “Oh, so much has changed,” Shanahan joked to open his most recent explanation of the situation. “No, no new updates. I’m sorry to keep being boring with that, but I wish I was saying something different, but nothing’s changed yet.”

We’ve gotten so many conflicting reports concerning the slow-but-seemingly-sure progress of an extension for the young wide receiver. Whether they’re still far apart or getting close, the situation seems to be improving. The 49ers continue to work to hold on to Aiyuk, while Pittsburgh waits patiently across the table, tapping the offer sheet that the Steelers submitted so long ago.

Mike Tomlin Driving Brandon Aiyuk’s Steelers Interest; Latest On Pittsburgh’s Extension Offer

August 19th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

A Brandon Aiyuk-to-Pittsburgh transaction may still end up happening, but such a move continues to trend in the wrong direction for the Steelers. Multiple factors have contributed to this latest Aiyuk development.

The 49ers are viewed as having a slight edge on the Steelers to roster the fifth-year wide receiver this season. As it turns out, the teams’ extension offers are believed to be relatively similar. While we do not know the details regarding contract structure or guarantees, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the Steelers offered a deal that featured an AAV south of $28MM.

We heard earlier this month the Steelers had underwhelmed Aiyuk with their extension offer and did not wow the 49ers with their trade proposal. A previous report also indicated this proposal landed in the $28MM-per-year neighborhood, but a deal south of that point would place Aiyuk no higher than seventh among receivers. This AAV would land behind Jaylen Waddle‘s recent Dolphins extension and around where the Bears went for D.J. Moore ($27.5MM per year).

But the 49ers and Steelers are still believed to have agreed on compensation — as a fallback option for the NFC West team, it appears. As of now, a trade seems to be the less likely scenario. The Steelers’ extension offer being “right in the neighborhood” of where the 49ers’ proposal checked in pushed the second-team All-Pro back to the table with his current team, Breer adds.

That has driven some progress between the 49ers and their top outside receiver. Aiyuk met with 49ers brass again recently, has attended position meetings and has watched practices — amid a now-lengthy hold-in — while this matter remains unresolved. But the 49ers are believed to have upped their offer. The sides may also have most of the deal done, with only final-year issues holding up the agreement. It would then seem the parties are close, but this saga has dragged for months and has brought several trade suitors into the mix.

Aiyuk, however, did not want to be dealt to New England or Cleveland. The Patriots offered Aiyuk more on an extension than the Steelers or 49ers have. San Francisco’s summer offer was in the $26-$27MM-per-year ballpark. Why, exactly, would Aiyuk prefer the Steelers to the Browns? Breer adds Mike Tomlin‘s presence served as the drawing card here.

That is certainly a notable nugget, as the Steelers do not have the 49ers outflanked in terms of offensive system or team success in recent years. Tomlin remains one of the game’s most respected figures, having famously never completed a sub-.500 season. Pittsburgh recently gave its 18th-year HC another extension.

The Steelers, of course, have not won a playoff game since 2016 and have struggled to form a consistent offense following Antonio Brown‘s 2019 exit. Pittsburgh has ranked 23rd or lower in total offense in each of the past five seasons, checking in as a top-20 scoring attack just once — Ben Roethlisberger‘s penultimate 2020 campaign — in that span. They are counting on either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields to provide an upgrade on the failed Kenny Pickett investment.

Aiyuk, 26, would obviously help the Steelers in this regard. But the team not including any players in the deal has hurt its chances at obtaining the talented receiver. The 49ers have never exactly wanted to trade Aiyuk, with John Lynch saying for months — most recently last week — the team wants the 2020 first-rounder in the fold long term.

San Francisco attempted to assemble a trade package that would replace Aiyuk immediately, with Cleveland offering Amari Cooper. Aiyuk nixed that deal. Absent the Steelers including George Pickens in a swap, they have no such presence to unload. It would be interesting to learn who the 49ers asked for on the Steelers’ roster outside of the receiver position, but as of now, the AFC North club is not including players in its proposal.

This months-long saga will reach some sort of conclusion before the season. Will Aiyuk be prepared to miss out on $831K game checks? The 49ers can waive his training camp absence fines, however, and the vibes here — and the team doing so for Nick Bosa last year — point to that happening if Aiyuk reports before Week 1. But the sides are still haggling. The wait persists in one of the most frequently updated negotiations in recent memory.

Patriots’ Eliot Wolf Addresses Brandon Aiyuk Pursuit, Team’s WR Depth

August 18th, 2024 at 3:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots were one of the teams which worked out the framework of a trade for Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers wideout is not interested in playing for New England, however, a stance which he appears to also hold with the Browns.

As a result, the Patriots are reported to be out of the running to land Aiyuk. New England made a concerted effort to sign Calvin Ridley in free agency, and the team likewise had a major financial commitment ready in Aiyuk’s case. The latter could have signed for as much as $32MM per season on a long-term deal, but his choice is now down to the 49ers or the Steelers. With New England’s attention once again on in-house receiving options, de facto general manager Eliot Wolf confirmed a renewed Aiyuk push will not take place.

“Yeah, just kind of a feel,’ Wolf said when speaking to the media about the 26-year-old’s situation (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “It was sort of a situation where he’s still in San Francisco, and that hasn’t been worked out from their standpoint yet. But we just felt, organizationally, our young receivers have had a really good week, and they’re continuing to progress, so we’re excited about those guys.”

Indeed, the Patriots have made a number of receiver investments via the draft in recent years. The likes of Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker have all been added via that route since 2023. Those players, along with returnee Kendrick Bourne and free agent addition K.J. Osborn will compete for targets in a receiver room which no longer includes JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Like Ridley, Aiyuk would have provided New England with a considerable boost in the passing game. The Arizona State product has increased his production each season, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 after he posted 75 receptions and a 17.9 yards per catch average. Neither the 49ers nor the Steelers have been willing to match New England’s offer from a financial standpoint, but signs continue to point to San Francisco retaining Aiyuk being the likeliest outcome in his saga.

In the meantime, the Patriots’ attention will turn to the quarterback situation. Third overall pick Drake Maye has made progress during training camp and the preseason, and the door is still open to him supplanting veteran Jacoby Brissett as the starter before Week 1. Whichever passer is in place to start the season, though, Aiyuk will not be part of the team’s receiving corps.

49ers Have ‘Slight Edge’ On Steelers For Brandon Aiyuk

August 17th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

A future in which the Steelers employ George Pickens and Brandon Aiyuk for Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields — and then potentially a near-future heir apparent — to target remains in play, but as of Saturday morning, it is not the expected scenario.

The Steelers remain on standby here as a fallback option, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who notes this situation has shifted from being a coin flip between Pittsburgh and San Francisco back to a place in which the 49ers have a slight edge to end up extending the wide receiver. Since a Tuesday report confirmed the teams have trade parameters in place, this storyline has trended in this direction.

Indeed, Fowler adds execs around the league expect this drawn-out process to conclude with the 49ers extending Aiyuk. Since the trade framework came out — though, it is not known what the Steelers are prepared to trade — 49ers efforts to wrap this extension saga have headlined the latest chapters in an endless news cycle. Aiyuk has been at 49ers meetings and been seen talking to teammates at practice during his hold-in. John Lynch said Friday the aim remains for the 49ers to extend the second-team All-Pro.

The 49ers let Aiyuk’s camp talk terms with other teams, which led to Patriots and Browns proposals. Both AFC teams and the Commanders, who were also interested at one point (as they now roster former Aiyuk college QB Jayden Daniels), are not believed to be in the picture any longer. A 49ers-or-Steelers option has loomed regarding Aiyuk’s long-term future for a bit now, but San Francisco still needs to check some key boxes to finalize a long-sought-after deal.

Aiyuk has not yet been compelled to sign, as Fowler points out certain contractual demands remain unfulfilled. Guarantees and/or when those guarantees vest may well be part of this delay; Aiyuk targeted A.J. Brown‘s $84MM guarantee number weeks ago, and the Bears giving D.J. Moore $82.6MM in total guarantees gives the Bay Area resident more ammo here.

That said, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds the 49ers and Aiyuk have agreed on the contract’s central parts, indicating there is an issue with the final year of the team’s proposal. It is unknown how long of a deal the 49ers proposed, but the subject of phony final years — which are present in Davante Adams‘ Raiders deal and were in Tyreek Hill‘s first Dolphins contract — may be part of these negotiations. The 49ers used a lofty final-year salary to prop up Trent Williams‘ AAV — on a six-year contract — back in 2021. But Aiyuk and the team having agreed on the deal’s key points suggests a resolution is in sight. The 49ers made their most recent offer around a week ago, per Garafolo.

The fifth-year receiver has been connected to wanting an AAV in the $30MM range, while the 49ers were tied to a $26-$27MM-per-year offer earlier this summer. The 49ers have upped their offer, and Fowler does float the $30MM number — or a figure slightly less — as the likely endgame here. The Steelers were believed to have offered Aiyuk around $28MM per year.

Continued 49ers interest in avoiding a trade puts the Steelers in strange territory. As their Aiyuk trade effort suddenly looks shaky, the Steelers may need to come up with a backup plan to complement Pickens. As it stands, Van Jefferson — he of one 400-plus-yard season in four tries — is ticketed as the team’s top in-house WR2 option, The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo notes (subscription required). It has trended this way since Pittsburgh’s offseason program. Third-rounder Roman Wilson looms, but he has missed time during camp due to injury.

It will be interesting to see if the Steelers become connected to another receiver as a safety option — in the now-likelier event the 49ers finally extend Aiyuk.

Load More Posts