Throughout the NFL offseason, the San Francisco 49ers have been at the center of major trade rumors, primarily involving star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers and Aiyuk have been attempting to negotiate a new long-term contract, but the discussions have not been successful. Currently, the two parties are far apart in their negotiations, fueling speculation about a possible trade.
Despite the rumors, both sides remain motivated to reach an agreement. Aiyuk has been crucial to the 49ers’ success in recent years, and they prefer to secure a new deal rather than part ways with him. With that in mind, there’s a new update on the contract discussions between the San Francisco 49ers and Aiyuk.
This one’s tricky because he was implicated in some trade talks around the draft. He wants a new contract; has one year left. I’m told the 49ers certainly are open to doing a deal, but talks have not progressed enough where things are close. And so, is he going to show up for their workouts? Hard to tell right now. The market is pretty set for him. Amon-Ra St. Brown in Detroit did that deal recently, about $28 million a year. So, that’s something for Aiyuk and the 49ers to work off of but I’m told they’re not quite there yet.”
Retaining Aiyuk would be a significant positive move for the San Francisco 49ers. In fact, keeping him should take precedence over retaining Deebo Samuel. Aiyuk has proven himself as an elite wide receiver, particularly because of his exceptional route-running skills.
In the 2023 season, Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, demonstrating his substantial impact on the team’s performance and his potential for the future.