It might sound like the whining of an old-school ex-NFL player, and to some degree, that is the case. But still, when it comes from 49ers legend Steve Young—a Hall of Famer with three Super Bowl rings—it tends to carry more weight.
Young took a shot at 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is still in midst of his “hold-in,” during which he missed all of training camp and the preseason to protest the lack of a new contract from the team, despite showing up to the 49ers facility to avoid fines.
Young, like many around the NFL, seems confused about what, exactly, Aiyuk’s desired end game is. He is under contract for 2024 at $14.1 million, which is the cost to the 49ers for picking up his fifth-year option. That is all part of NFL collective-bargaining rules and thus, part of the contract Aiyuk signed when he entered the NFL.
Aiyuk is obviously worth more than that, but the 49ers are not obliged to pay him more. Young said Aiyuk ought to just play out the 2024 season, put up big numbers and hit free agency in 2025, ready to let the market set his value.
“It was like, bro, if you want to tear up the contract and do something big, then you might want to go the fifth year and go prove it out, to make sure that everybody’s on board with you setting the market,” Young said on Bay Area radio station KNBR, via 49ers Web Zone.
49ers Trade Never Materialized
The situation between Aiyuk and the 49ers was further confused this summer by the notion of Aiyuk being traded. The 49ers allowed Aiyuk to investigate the market, see what teams would be willing to trade for him, and set up the 49ers to make a deal.
But possible trades with the Patriots, Browns and Steelers all fell apart for various reasons, either because the teams involved were not willing to give up enough to send back to the 49ers or because, in the case of the Patriots, the team was not good enough to lure Aiyuk into a long-term deal.
There has been some question about just how serious the 49ers are about making a deal for Aiyuk. Still, both Aiyuk and the team were probably too picky to make an actual trade work.
“If you’re going to ask to be traded, then when they make a trade that works for them, you got to say you’re up for it,” Young said. “You don’t say, ‘Oh, no, that doesn’t work for me,’ because then, it was like, ‘Well, what do you want?’”
Brandon Aiyuk NFL’s No. 8 WR: PFF
For the 49ers, Aiyuk is, no doubt, one of the Top 10 receivers in the league in terms of talent, and when his age is factored in—he only turned 26 in March—he looks even better. He went for 1,015 yards in 2022, but last season was his true breakout year, as he tallied 1,342 yards on just 75 catches, establishing himself as pass-catcher with an unmatched combination of reliability and deep-ball skill.
Aiyuk was No. 2 in the NFL in yards per catch (17.9) and also third with 28 catches of 20 yards or more. It is likely he could accomplish more if he was a true No. 1, rather than sharing touches with 49ers star Deebo Samuel. That could happen in 2025, if the 49ers move on from Samuel.
Pro Football Focus ranked Aiyuk as the No. 8 receiver in the NFL in its preseason grades, writing of him:
“A devastating route runner and explosive threat, Brandon Aiyuk is one of the most efficient receivers in the game whose overall numbers are held back only by the offense he plays in and the sheer quantity of other options within it. Passes thrown his way last season generated a 126.8 passer rating.”
