The San Francisco 49ers have been dealing with contract negotiations between themselves and star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for some time.
There has been a stalemate between the two sides over the amount, as Aiyuk believes he is worth more than what San Francisco has been willing to offer so far. He will be entering the final year of his rookie contract and is scheduled to make $14.1 million this season. But after seeing what some of the other elite wide receivers have been getting around the NFL, Aiyuk seems to be holding his ground.
Read More: Brandon Aiyuk Calls Out 49ers Following Report of Declined Trade Offer Involving Him
He is coming off a season that saw him post 75 catches and 1,342 yards while scoring seven touchdowns. Aiyuk was a massive reason why the 49ers made the Super Bowl last season and they want him to return to the team. He didn’t participate in the team’s mandatory offseason minicamp or the offseason program in the midst of negotiations.
Aiyuk knows that he will likely remain with the 49ers but did mention a few teams he would play for if he left San Francisco. He floated the Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers, with the latter being a team he has been linked with all summer.
“If I were to take a guess, probably a Niner uniform,” Aiyuk said during an appearance on “The Pivot” podcast. “Probably a Niner uniform. If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, probably a Steelers uniform.”
Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images
Despite this, Aiyuk doesn’t seem to be looking to leave the 49ers. He informed TMZ Sports on Friday that he would remain with the 49ers even with the contract dispute going on.
“For sure,” Aiyuk told TMZ Sports. “For sure!”
For now, Aiyuk will continue to see if he can work out a long-term deal with the 49ers to stay with the team. He is a key component of the offensive plan so San Francisco doesn’t want to lose him.
If the two sides can’t come to terms on an agreement, the 49ers could opt to trade Aiyuk rather than risk losing him for nothing once he hits free agency. The 49ers are a fairly well-run organization and have shown a strong use of asset management. The hope is that this gets worked out but in the NFL, nothing is guaranteed until the dotted lines are signed.
Read More: 49ers Rumors: Brandon Aiyuk is Being Attached to AFC Contender in Trade Talks
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.