Brandon Aiyuk stands at a crossroads in his career, where he must decide whether he wants to prioritize money or winning trophies. The drama surrounding his contract this off-season suggests he is eyeing the top money, especially after seismic changes in the receiver market, with Justin Jefferson becoming the highest-paid non-QB and the Dolphins paying big money to their WR2, Jaylen Waddle.
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Aiyuk made headlines during his appearance on the Pivot Podcast, giving statements that reflected the current state of his contract negotiations with the 49ers. The ASU Alum asserted that there were times when the Niners and he were close to agreeing on his valuation, but recent developments have pushed them further apart. On how much the contracts of his contemporaries have affected his own contract negotiations, he said,
“I think a lot. But with that, I felt like when the season was over, I was trying, we were back and forth every day. I wasn’t worried about any other guys. I was just trying to get what I felt was appropriate for me at that time. We couldn’t come to an agreement at that time. On top of that, other guys decided to. They got paid or their teams rewarded them. So the market changed.”
He noted that while things were different when the season ended and during the early part of the off-season, he was constantly in touch with his agent, who was also in frequent contact with the Niners, trying to get a deal done. Aiyuk stated that he didn’t pay any attention to outside influences and was focused on getting the money he believed he deserved.
But both parties couldn’t land on a number and agree. That changed when other teams decided to reward their wideouts and change the dynamics of the market.
Both Channing and Ryan Clark agreed that Jefferson, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, etc getting paid means that the next receiver to get his bag is Aiyuk. BA himself is comfortable staying in this impasse until he gets the contract he needs. But he needs to keep the negotiations out of the news cycle.
Brandon Aiyuk Suggested to Keep Negotiations Out of Media
Channing feels that Brandon Aiyuk’s offseason activities, like FaceTiming Jayden Daniels, driving towards Levi’s Stadium, and wearing a Pirates hat, have been blown out of proportion. He believes these actions are not conducive to contract negotiations and suggests that Aiyuk should exercise caution and keep everything out of the media.
He asserted that the 49ers wideout cannot allow the media to dictate the proceedings. Instead, he needs to focus on work and put in the effort, allowing his agent and the club to negotiate the contract quite behind the scenes. He believes that if Aiyuk does this, the Niners will recognize his value and give him the money he deserves.
Although Channing is not an agent and is not in the loop, he believes that the 49ers should offer Aiyuk $30 million, rather than the $26 million figure circulating in the media.
