San Francisco 49ers insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area isn't so sure the club will sign star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to a contract extension this summer.
"This year, I can see where they have to make a decision, and I think it's a logical and reasonable decision that they could make that, 'Hey, instead of re-signing Aiyuk for this number, let's re-sign these guys, multiple guys, and let Aiyuk walk now,'" Maiocco said during a Monday appearance on "The Red and Bold Show" while referring to other San Francisco players looking for deals, as shared by David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone. "And then, what I would see is the 49ers would then, again, if they don't get this multi-year extension done with [Aiyuk], they would franchise him at the end of the season and probably trade him at that point."
Many national analysts and reporters have expected since the spring that San Francisco will ink Aiyuk, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, to an extension after the 26-year-old became Brock Purdy's favorite target during Purdy's first full season as a full-time starting quarterback.
However, the fact that the 49ers may sign Purdy to a massive extension next offseason is just one reason San Francisco could keep Aiyuk on his existing agreement through the upcoming campaign.
"At some point, if your roster is full of really good players, you can't continue to pay market value," Maiocco explained. "It just doesn't work."
Some continue to link Aiyuk with receiver-needy teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders. With that said, the 49ers are trying to make a second straight trip to a Super Bowl and have no reason to trade an offensive weapon that is under contract and probably couldn't be replaced via a trade until March 2025 at the earliest.
According to Bonilla, Maiocco thinks there's a "50/50" chance the 49ers will sign Aiyuk to an extension before Week 1. It remains to be seen if Aiyuk would react to such a scenario by staying away from the team through at least one regular-season game in an attempt to get what he wants in the form of an extension or a trade to a club that would immediately pay him.
