After turning 26 earlier this month, Brandon Aiyuk has already begun training for the upcoming season. He had a standout run in 2023, even leading the yard per catch until Steelers wideout George Pickens caught up in Week 18. Aiyuk, however, feels that he would have led the league for good; if his QB, Brock Purdy, didn’t sit out the season finale. The season before that was no exception either, with a career-high of 78 receptions and eight touchdowns. The 49ers have already exercised their fifth-year option for Aiyuk for $14.1 million, which didn’t come as much of a surprise since it’s evident how valuable Aiyuk has proven to be. But Aiyuk, who got a Second-Team All-Pro nod last year, isn’t at all content with the contract, and it has been evident for a while now.
On NightCap, the Arizona State alum delved into the impending contract situation with his team, which led to his cryptic posts on social media. Yes, we’re talking about the 5-emoji banter session. Host Shannon Sharpe brought this up and also highlighted the swirling speculations about Aiyuk getting traded if a lucrative extension failed to materialize. He also mentioned GM John Lynch dismissing these trade rumors — which led to Aiyuk’s cryptic post. The post, in Sharpe’s words, goes something like, “Then, you had the IG story with the emojis — the money, the talking, the BS, and the walking.”
Sharpe then asked the former Sun Devils star what had been relayed to him through his representative, who has been handling the contract talks with the 49ers. “They trying to get work done; that’s all I can say,” Aiyuk said. He further expressed,
“Ya’ll know how it gets. I don’t even want to get too far into that,” followed by, “But you know, I’m just trying to get like Ocho (Chad Johnson) just said — I’m trying to get what I deserve. I felt like this season playing football, I figured who I was as a person, as a player, what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization, and just the value I hold when I walk into that building.“
Aiyuk also emphasized why his teammates would follow him into the battle since he had been doing everything the right way from the moment he stepped into his team’s facility to the same day he appeared in the interview. He also indirectly asserted that the team must value his leadership on and off the field, and if they fail to do so, he’d likely look for a team that does. He did so by making a walking motion with his two fingers, indicating that he wouldn’t mind walking away if his demands weren’t met.
What Would Brandon Aiyuk’s Contract Look Like?
There has been no shortage of speculation about Brandon Aiyuk’s future in the Bay Area. While Dan Graziano of ESPN claimed that Brandon Aiyuk is a possible candidate for trade, as per an article by Bleacher Report, Ian Rappoport reported that the 49ers “firmly believe he is in their plans.” The outlet also reported that the 49ers GM labeled Aiyuk’s extension a challenge, but at the same time, stated that they’d want to keep the star receiver in San Francisco for a very long time.
“I think we’ve got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us, and Brandon’s the guy we want to keep around for a long time,” John Lynch said, as per Bleacher Report.
So, it’s safe to say that the contract talks will prevail for the foreseeable future. According to Spotrac, Aiyuk currently has an annual market value of a little over $24 million. If the club were to agree to this humongous deal, Aiyuk would make as much as the 9-year veteran Steffon Diggs. This 4-year, $96 million deal, however, seems highly unlikely, considering the 49ers’ cap situation.
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