Contract talks between the San Francisco 49ers and their star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk are heating up, and everyone’s asking the big question: Will they trade him, or is the WR staying in San Francisco?
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NFL Insider Jordan Schultz dropped a bombshell, revealing that the 49ers and Aiyuk’s camp met again yesterday. According to him, talks are progressing towards a long-term extension, with only “some minor details that still need to be ironed out with ownership approval”.
It’s quite the development for fans eager to see Aiyuk build on his career-high 1,342 receiving yards from last season. However, the road to this point hasn’t been smooth sailing.
Sources: The #49ers and WR Brandon Aiyuk had another meeting yesterday and talks continue to progress on a long-term contract extension. There has been movement on a deal, but there are some minor details that still need to be ironed out with ownership approval. pic.twitter.com/Z0OWumelSF
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 20, 2024
Back in July, Aiyuk shocked fans by requesting a trade after initial contract talks hit a wall. With just over $14 million on the table for the final year of his rookie deal, Aiyuk was eyeing a payday that would put him among the NFL’s top-paid receivers.
Moreover, to complicate matters further, the wide receiver market underwent a huge shift this summer. Justin Jefferson’s eye-popping four-year, $140 million contract with the Vikings set a new benchmark, raising the stakes for Aiyuk’s negotiations.
However, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s statement from yesterday painted a different picture, even as he remained cool as a cucumber at the prospect of losing his star WR to another team.
Shanahan confident in 49ers’ receiver depth
Coach Shanahan isn’t leaving anything to chance. He’s got his backup plans ready if Aiyuk’s holdout stretches into the regular season. He acknowledged that there’s a real possibility Aiyuk could be missing when the 49ers take on Aaron Rodgers and the Jets in their season opener, as he revealed that “there are no updates.”
“We have Jauan [Jennings], who’s done a lot of good stuff for us here over the years. When guys are healthy, he’s always majored as our slot receiver…He has been our No. 3 receiver since we’ve been here, and at times, in some big moments, we’ve used him like a No. 1 guy.”
If Brandon Aiyuk’s seat is empty come game day, Jennings is primed to step up opposite Deebo Samuel.
But the 49ers’ depth chart doesn’t stop there. Shanahan also named a list of talented wideouts waiting in the wings, like, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray, Tay Martin, and rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing.
So, it’s clear that Shanahan and the 49ers have built a roster deep enough to weather any storm.
