Brandon Aiyuk is not at the San Francisco 49ers’ facility as the offseason program begins because he’s looking for a big contract that would keep him with the team for many years.
But the 49ers are still hopeful that Aiyuk will be with them when the new season kicks off. General manager John Lynch wants to work out a deal to keep Aiyuk in San Francisco for a long time.
Aiyuk is set to play on a one-year option worth around $14.1 million this season. But he wants a bigger contract that reflects his performance on the field. Some of the top receivers in the league make about $25 million a year.
In the past few years, the 49ers have rewarded their star players with big contracts. They’ve given contracts to George Kittle, Fred Warner, Deebo Samuel, and Nick Bosa.
But the negotiations for Samuel and Bosa’s contracts lasted into training camp, which affected their performance. So, the 49ers want to avoid that this time and settle things with Aiyuk sooner.
“I believe that’s crucial,” Lynch mentioned. “Deadlines often push things forward. However, there’s always room to learn from past situations, and it would be unwise not to. I prefer to have our business matters sorted out.”
Lynch described the discussions between the two sides as positive, and mentioned that other teams have shown interest in acquiring Aiyuk if the 49ers are open to trading him.
However, when asked if there’s a chance Aiyuk won’t be on the team after the first round of the draft, Lynch simply replied, “I don’t think so.”
Aiyuk played a significant role in San Francisco’s offense last season, forming a strong connection with quarterback Brock Purdy. He had 75 catches and a career-best 1,375 yards, along with seven touchdowns, earning him second-team All-Pro honors.
