Will wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk leave the San Francisco 49ers after contract negotiations failed?

With the wide receiver market being what it is and negotiations now abandoned, one can understand the position of the Niners’ star pass catcher. Is the team playing hardball with a player they can’t in theory afford to lose and if so, to what end?

Brandon Aiyuk wants out of San Francisco

When considering the idea that Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers have been at a standstill for some time, reports that he’s demanded a trade are not surprising, but they do come as a shock. To be clear, the Niners are about to begin training camp ahead of the 2024 season i.e., this is not ideal timing. Yet, as mentioned before, this has been coming. For months now reports have indicated that Aiyuk and the franchise were making no progress on a contract extension.

Indeed, if you caught our previous report you will know that Aiyuk even went public with his stated belief that the failure to come to an agreement was not based in his refusal to compromise, but rather the idea that the franchise itself did not want him. “They said they don’t want me back...I swear,” the 26-year-old said at the time. What that means is that the former Arizona State standout faces a situation where he has no long-term deal in place but is still under contract with a fifth-year option.

How does Brandon Aiyuk’s situation play out?

Of course, there is some context to consider here i.e., Aiyuk and the Niners were initially said to be close to agreeing on a deal but then the wide receiver market went crazy with the likes of Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and Nico Collins all receiving massive extensions. One has to imagine that Aiyuk is looking for a similar payday and perhaps rightly so. This is after all a player who has caught a combined 153 passes for 2,357 yards, and 15 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Where specifics are concerned, what we know is that a contract similar to those that have been signed by the aforementioned group of players would earn Aiyuk somewhere in the region of $30 million per year. At present, he is set to pocket $14.124 million this season under his option, though he does have a projected market value of $26.5 million annually, according to Spotrac.

So, what comes next? That’s hard to say but where the man himself is concerned, Aiyuk recently stated that he would like to play for either the Commanders or the Steelers if the 49ers cut ties. Interestingly, Aiyuk spoke specifically to the prospect of linking up with Commanders rookie quarterback and former college teammate Jayden Daniels. Adding further fuel to the fire is the fact that Aiyuk has also went on to post a video of himself watching Commanders’ film reels.

This brings us finally to the team itself. Let’s be honest. Were Aiyuk to leave the 49ers, it would most definitely hurt. On the other hand, it would be a stretch to say that with a roster that still boasts players such as running back Christian McCaffrey, left tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle, fellow wideout Deebo Samuel, and of course quarterback Brock Purdy, the Niners would be crippled. Do recall, the team recently added a wide receiver in the form of Ricky Pearsall out of Florida. There was also the extension of veteran receiver Jauan Jennings. This is all to say that while Aiyuk’s departure would be less than ideal, the Niners do have the resources to cover and that’s before we touch on those that they will receive in exchange for the star should he go.