Brandon Aiyuk’s journey with the San Francisco 49ers reached a resolution on Thursday evening when the star wide receiver agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract extension. The process leading to this deal was anything but straightforward, with multiple rumors and trade possibilities swirling around Aiyuk’s future.
At various points, it seemed he might end up with the Washington Commanders or the Pittsburgh Steelers, but ultimately, he chose to remain with the 49ers.
Several teams reportedly had deals in place to acquire Aiyuk, but any trade depended on Aiyuk’s camp negotiating a new contract with the potential new team. Despite the interest from other franchises, it became clear that it would require a substantial offer to pry Aiyuk away from San Francisco.
The 49ers were not only looking for draft picks but also wanted at least one player in return, which complicated potential trades. For instance, the Denver Broncos’ refusal to trade wide receiver Courtland Sutton reportedly stalled a deal that could have sent Aiyuk to Pittsburgh.
The 49ers were particularly adamant about securing a “top-flight” receiver if they were to part ways with Aiyuk. They offered Denver a third-round pick for Sutton, with the understanding that if Denver accepted, Aiyuk would be traded to the Steelers. However, Denver declined, effectively preventing that trade from materializing and keeping Aiyuk in San Francisco.
There were other factors at play as well. The Steelers had the option to make a stronger offer by including one of their starting wide receivers or offering Aiyuk a contract that would place him among the top three highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. However, none of these scenarios came to fruition, leaving the 49ers with a growing urgency to re-sign their top wideout.
As time passed, the cost of retaining Aiyuk increased due to the escalating wide receiver market and the ongoing negotiations between Aiyuk’s camp and other teams. This culminated in Thursday’s deal, where Aiyuk signed a contract that, had it been agreed upon earlier in the offseason, would have made him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
