The 49ers have been through this before, what they’re dealing with when it comes to receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Only a year ago, in fact, the team and defensive lineman Nick Bosa were locked in a staring match over a new contract, a standoff that was not resolved until shortly before the opener, and cost Bosa all of training camp.
While coach Kyle Shanahan and the team brushed off concerns about Bosa’s readiness for Week 1 by saying it does not take much practice work to get a defensive lineman ready to play, Bosa later admitted that missing camp cost him his “rhythm” early in the 2023 season.
With Aiyuk, also looking for a new contract, it is a double whammy. Like Bosa, his timing will be off when he does come back but unlike Bosa, the 49ers can’t pretend he’ll be just fine without some practice time. Receivers need timing, need a connection with their quarterbacks, and Aiyuk is missing out on all that.
With the 49ers’ opener looming on September 9, the team and Aiyuk are facing a de facto deadline to get him into camp and get him ready to play in Week 1. That’s the gist from ESPN insider Adam Schefter, who told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday that a “push” is on to find an agreement because the sides need “resolution.”
Brandon Aiyuk Under Contract for 2024
The 49ers technically have Aiyuk under contract, on a fifth-year option worth $14.1 million. After a season in which he posted 75 catches for 1,342 yards—and an offseason in which several top-tier receivers got payouts worth more than double what Aiyuk is scheduled to make next season—it stands to reason that Aiyuk wants a raise.
Amid reports that talks are progressing, though, Schefter points out that a deadline, even a soft deadline, for getting Aiyuk signed and ready is approaching. And options for both sides are limited, as attempts to find a trade for Aiyuk have fizzled.
“They’ve made him multiple offers to try to keep him (Aiyuk), but for whatever reason, that deal hasn’t gotten done, and that has allowed other teams to enter the fray with trade conversations,” Schefter said, via 49ers Web Zone.
“I think we’re at the point now where we’re going to start to get a push here to see how this winds up, how it’s resolved. And I think the 49ers would like to keep him, want to keep him. I still think that’s the more likely scenario. … Here we are, on Tuesday, August 20, and nothing is still done. Nothing. And I just think that everybody—everybody—is at the point where they know they need to get resolution, whatever that is.”
49ers Dealing With Trent Williams Issue, Too
There is, obviously, frustration all around on the situation, which is exacerbated by the fact that another key part of the 49ers offense—star left tackle Trent Williams—is also holding out for a new contract. Williams has three years and $75 million on his contract, but that money is not guaranteed.
At age 36 and with a history of minor injuries piling up—he missed two games last season, and three in 2022—Williams wants either more money up front of more guarantees on the remainder of his deal.
The 49ers are trying to juggle all these financial issues while also facing the likelihood of needing to pay quarterback Brock Purdy one of the highest salaries in the NFL after this season.
Coach Kyle Shanahan, obviously flustered by it all, could only shrug when asked about the Aiyuk and Williams issues.
“Zero updates. Nothing has changed,” Shanahan said.
