Another day, another new chapter in the saga that has become Brandon Aiyuk's contract situation with the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk reportedly met with the 49ers on Monday at the receiver's request, and it was a good meeting, per NFL Media. Both sides reportedly said things that needed to be said, and they are going to keep working towards a resolution.
Tom Pelissero reported that Aiyuk has never requested a trade, and the 49ers want to move forward with him in the fold -- despite the fact that teams have called. There is still time for the two sides to reach a long-term deal.
On Tuesday, Aiyuk responded to a recent report that San Francisco had previously engaged in talks with the Washington Commanders about possibly trading him, although nothing ever came of those talks.
"But I thought the Niners was never tryna trade me?" Aiyuk wrote on Instagram.
Last week, Aiyuk told Commanders rookie quarterback and former college teammate Jayden Daniels that the 49ers "don't want me back." The issue, of course, is money, as the 49ers do not want to pay Aiyuk what he is currently asking for, per ESPN.
The two sides were reportedly close to getting a deal done earlier this offseason, but that was before the receiver market skyrocketed after Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Nico Collins each signed hefty new extensions.
Given what has recently transpired, it's likely that Aiyuk wants an extension that is similar to the ones his peers recently signed, which would pay him somewhere in the ballpark of $30 million annually. Aiyuk, who is currently slated to make $14.124 million this season under his fifth-year option, has a projected market value of $26.5 million annually, according to Spotrac.
While they remain apart from a monetary standpoint, the 49ers have never seriously considered dealing Aiyuk this offseason. They did have talks with the Commanders prior to the draft, but those never never got off the ground, according to ESPN.
At this point, it appears that Aiyuk and the 49ers are entrenched in a standstill. Either the two sides will find a middle ground, one side will decide give in, or a breakup will occur, either in the form of a yearlong holdout or a trade.
