Significant Progress in Brandon Aiyuk Negotiations Amid rumours
As the 2024 NFL Draft approached, rumors swirled about potential trades involving San Francisco 49ers standout wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is entering the final year of his contract. Despite the speculation, Aiyuk remains with the 49ers following the draft.
General Manager John Lynch and the team are keen on retaining Aiyuk for the foreseeable future. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the 49ers are actively negotiating a long-term extension for Aiyuk and are not considering a trade at this time. "It doesn't seem like that is in the cards, at least right now," Rapoport stated, indicating the team's intent to keep Aiyuk on their roster.
The primary focus for the 49ers now shifts to securing a contract extension for their star receiver. In a market where comparable talents like DeVonta Smith have secured substantial deals�Smith recently signed a three-year, $75 million contract despite never being named an All-Pro�Aiyuk's potential earnings could surpass those figures, given his recent accolades.
ESPN's Adam Schefter suggests that Aiyuk's new deal could be valued between $25 million and $28 million annually, aligning with the contracts of DeVonta Smith and Amon-Ra St. Brown. "You have DeVonta Smith with the Philadelphia Eagles � about $25M annually. You got Amon-Ra St. Brown, a little more than that, say about $28 million over the first three years. You figure that Brandon Aiyuk will be somewhere in there," Schefter reported.
Despite previous rumors of a trade request during stalled negotiations, Aiyuk's agent, Ryan Williams, has refuted such claims. In 2023, Aiyuk delivered an impressive performance, catching 75 passes for a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, and was named an All-Pro for the first time, solidifying his role as a primary receiver for the 49ers following Deebo Samuel's departure.
Amidst the trade rumors, Aiyuk sparked further speculation when he tweeted a message to Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin. This led to widespread conjecture about his intentions, though Aiyuk clarified on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson that his tweet was in jest. "Every day while you're under negotiating/contract talks, every day is like a different day," Aiyuk explained. "So, if everyone is saying �this and that,' let me go ahead and put out one of my little spots. And I reverted back to Tomlin so we can have a little bit of fun with it. It's all it is. It's all in fun."
As the negotiations continue, Aiyuk's situation remains a focal point of interest in NFL circles, underscoring the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of professional sports contract discussions.
| POLL | ||
9 MAI | 80 ANSWERS Significant Progress in Brandon Aiyuk Negotiations Amid rumours Should the 49ers prioritize signing Aiyuk to a long-term deal? | ||
| Yes | 55 | 68.8 % |
| No | 25 | 31.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
