The 49ers have tried to work out a multiyear contract extension with Brandon Aiyuk since the 2023 NFL season ended, but so far the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement.
Then, a report surfaced on Monday that Aiyuk planned to visit the team facility in Santa Clara for a meeting, which is an unusual event in itself, considering the entire team and staff are on summer break. However, it does indicate the sides remain in communication, although the 2020 first-round draft pick’s future could still play out several different ways.
While a trade is always possible, here are three ways Aiyuk could remain with the 49ers this season and potentially beyond.
An agreement has been reached
Historically, the 49ers like to keep their talented players in a building with high-dollar multi-year extensions. The evidence is on the roster with long-term deals signed by George Kittle, Trent Williams, Fred Warner, Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa over the past several years.
There’s no doubt the 49ers made Aiyuk reasonable offers that reflect his performance over his four NFL seasons. If the parties are close to a guaranteed dollar amount, they may be able to reach a compromise to keep everyone involved happy.
The 49ers have already restructured the contracts of several players to manipulate the total salary paid, and they remain under the NFL salary cap. They also have another season with a little extra scope as quarterback Brock Purdy is in the third and final year of his rookie contract, with the possibility of a lucrative extension coming.
With some compromise on both sides, a valuable extension can be reached.
Ayyuk stays outsideThen report for week 1
Just as Aiyuk refused to report for mandatory minicamp a few weeks ago, he may fail to appear at the facility during training camp next month. With Aiyuk still on his first NFL contract/fifth-year option, the 49ers have the ability to waive fines imposed on the player for being absent from camp, as they did with Bosa ahead of the 2023 season . Organizations cannot waive penalties for absences during minicamp.
Like Bosa during his own holdout, Aiyuk is still under contract, and could decide to skip training camp entirely and wait to report until just before Week 1. But if the sides still can’t agree on a long-term extension when the 2024 NFL season begins, Aiyuk is unlikely to sit out. Reporting after the start of the season will be costly, with Aiyuk’s salary guaranteed to increase from $2.3 million in 2023 to $14.1 million in 2024.
Without an extension, Aiyuk will have the 2024 season to show the world his value and prepare himself for a mega contract before his sixth season.
49ers play hard ball
If contract negotiations remain at an impasse, the 49ers could make their move on Aiyuk. They still have Samuel under contract, and recently extended Jaune Jennings through the 2025 season. General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan also selected a very talented wide receiver – Ricky Pearsall – in the first round this year.
If the Aiyyuk-49ers relationship becomes strained, the team could refuse to waive the fine imposed for his training camp absences, which would have required him to pay $40,000 for each day he missed.
The 49ers can use the franchise tag on Aiyuk after the 2024 season, keeping him with the team through 2025. While there is a negative connotation associated with players being “tagged”, it is not necessarily economically negative, as a tagged player receives an average of the top five salaries in his position group for the previous year. From.
In 2025, the franchise tag for a wide receiver should be around $31 million for a season. The downside for Aiyuk will be a lack of stability for the future.
So, what is fair? Ayyuk Salary?
When looking at the many high-priced extensions signed by NFL wide receivers since the 2023 season ended, it’s understandable why Aiyuk would want to get his due after four productive seasons. However, where the Second Team All-Pro falls in the salary order is debatable.
Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson received the highest contract for a non-quarterback this offseason with a five-year, $140 million extension with $110 million guaranteed. While Aiyuk is a significant contributor to Shanahan’s offense, he doesn’t have comparable statistics to Jefferson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and 2022 All-Pro and NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Philadelphia Eagles wideout AJ Brown received the second-largest extension in three years at $96 million this offseason, an annual average of $32 million, with $84 million guaranteed. Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will earn the third-highest average salary at $30 million, tying Miami Dolphins speedster Tyreek Hill, whose total value for each extension is $120 million. Their fully guaranteed money varies slightly, with St. Brown at $77 million and Hill at $72.2 million.
Hill’s Miami teammate, Jaylen Waddle, may be the closest statistical player to Aiyuk. In three seasons with the Dolphins, Waddle has recorded three 1,000-yard seasons and scored 18 touchdowns, and he led the league with 18.1 yards per reception in 2022.
Aiyuk has recorded two 1,000-yard seasons in four years and scored 25 touchdowns, and he had the best average yards per catch in 2023 with 17.9.
Waddle signed a three-year extension worth $84.75 million this offseason, with an average annual salary of $28.25 million and $76 million guaranteed. The 49ers likely offered Aiyuk somewhere in the neighborhood of Waddle’s average salary, understanding the need to match where the receiver market stands, but what he’s asking for may be too much.
Aiyuk’s destination could be the three-year, $70 million contract that Michael Pittman signed this offseason with $46 million guaranteed. Pittman, whom the Indianapolis Colts selected nine picks after Aiyuk in the 2020 draft, made 336 catches for 3,662 yards and 15 touchdowns in his four seasons (compared to Aiyuk’s 269-3,931-25 line) and, unlike his 49ers counterpart Thus, there are two 1,000-yard seasons. Pittman had 109 catches last season, and is just shy of the century mark with 99 receptions in 2022.
The NFL wide receiver market has been set, and where Aiyuk will ultimately fall may soon be decided.
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