WR Brandon Aiyuk has requested a trade from the 49ers, sources say

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After an offseason of contract negotiations that have yet to yield a lucrative extension, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has officially requested a trade, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that other teams reaching out to the 49ers have been told the team has no intention of trading him.

Aiyuk’s request comes a week before the veteran is scheduled to report to Niners training camp and about three weeks after Aiyuk and the Niners met in Santa Clara to discuss the situation. NFL Network first reported the trade request.

With one year remaining on his rookie contract, Aiyuk is seeking a big-money extension similar to other wideouts who have earned deals this offseason, such as AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions. , DeVonta Smith of the Eagles and Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins.

Aiyuk, 26, is set to make $14.124 million in 2024, the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.

At various points this offseason, Aiyuk has tried to pressure the Niners to make a deal before their usual late-summer deadline. He has used social media to express his displeasure and even posted a video on TikTok in which he tells former Arizona State teammate and current Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels on FaceTime that the Niners “Don’t want me back.”

But Aiyuk had stopped requesting a trade as of Tuesday. A league source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Aiyuk “wants to be traded or get paid. San Francisco doesn’t want to pay him (relative to market value) or trade him.”

Despite the request, San Francisco’s position on Aiyuk has not changed. The Niners have always said they want to pay Aiyuk and keep him for the long term. The rising cost of receivers based on other deals signed this offseason has made it more difficult.

Aiyuk’s trade request also doesn’t guarantee he’ll be dealt. In fact, there is a recent precedent for the Niners refusing to grant a trade request to a receiver who wanted a big-money deal and ultimately signed him.

Niners wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. requested a trade in the 2022 offseason, and although the Niners heard offers in that year’s NFL Draft, they snagged Samuel and signed him to a three-year deal worth up to $73.5 million on July 31. . 2022. Former kicker Robbie Gould also requested a trade from the Niners in April 2019, but ultimately signed a four-year extension on July 15, 2019.

Aiyuk is coming off a breakout season in which he posted 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns en route to second-team All-Pro.

If Aiyuk does not sign a new deal or is not traded before the start of training camp, he is expected to refrain from participating until the contract situation is resolved. He did not participate in the team’s mandatory minicamp, resulting in a fine of more than $101,000.

Under coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, the Niners have been able to sign most of their stars to extensions before they hit free agency, although those players – Samuel, tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner and end Nick Bosa – One has to wait till the end of July and beyond to complete such deals.