The San Francisco 49ers and star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk could see the light at the end of the tunnel in contract negotiations with an overlooked fact.
NFL podcast host Kay Adams of the “Up & Adams” podcast promoted the idea of the 49ers giving Aiyuk a massive, fully-guaranteed one-year deal “at around $25 million” this year. Adams producer, Matt Hamilton, “cooked up this proposal” amid the 49ers’ $30.43 million in salary cap space for sixth in the league. In addition, Adams’ show staff called “the perfect compromise to this whole Brandon Aiyuk-49ers saga” on X, formerly Twitter, on July 22.
“Leverage-wise, the Niners got it,” Adams said regarding the contract negotiations. “But that doesn’t mean they have to wield it and give Aiyuk nothing. Isn’t there like a gray area where we can meet halfway and shake hands and ‘Kumbaya’ this whole thing?”
Aiyuk requested a trade on July 16 after amid an offseason-long contract stalemate filled with trade speculation. The 49ers have Aiyuk on the books for a $14.12 million fifth-year extension, but Aiyuk wants a bigger contract as one of highest-paid wideouts in the NFL. Spotrac projects him for $26.2 million annually — a number the 49ers can easily hit this year with available cap space.
“I think this can make both sides happy,” Adams said about Hamilton’s proposed one-year deal.
Brandon Aiyuk a Key Part of 49ers’ Super Bowl Hopes
Aiyuk has been productive in all four seasons of his young career amid 269 receptions for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns. He became an All-Pro in 2023 and helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl, a destination San Francisco seeks again. Adams sees 49ers general manager John Lynch as poised to leverage the recent success.
“Lynch could go to Brandon and say, ‘hey, we will rip up the fifth-year option. We’re going to give you a one-year deal fully guaranteed at around $25 million. We want you to take back that trade request …, play out this year, and then, let’s revisit this once we’ve won the Super Bowl.'”
“Lynch doesn’t need to do that, but I would say this year is the [Super Bowl] window,” Adams said. “This is the time for the Niners to take one more run with this loaded roster before they have to start making all of the sacrifices because of the Purdys [and] because of everyone else. Why not do what you can to keep Aiyuk happy?”
49ers Hard-Pressed to Afford Brandon Aiyuk After 2024
San Francisco will need to pay a big price to keep Aiyuk after 2024, but that can be said about key players beyond Aiyuk, starting with quarterback Brock Purdy.
“The issue is simple,” Adams said. “San Francisco is set to be $39 million over the cap in 2025 without Aiyuk on the books at all and with a potential Purdy deal in the peripheral.”
Purdy, the 49ers quarterback, could command $50.9 million annually after his rookie contract ends following the 2025 season. As Adams pointed out, the 49ers will struggle to afford both stars long term.
“That’s what this is about,” Adams said. “It makes keeping Brandon Aiyuk beyond this season really unimaginable.”
“So if you’re a savant at the GM position like John Lynch is, you give Aiyuk an extension right now, you’re really asking for it. You’re really making some issues for yourself,” Adams said.
She noted that keeping Aiyuk on the fifth-year option isn’t a better route, which could negatively affect Aiyuk’s chemistry with the team. In addition, Aiyuk could hold the trade request in the process, and he already mentioned the Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers as desired destinations during “The Pivot” podcast on June 28.
“The Niners don’t want to lose Brandon Aiyuk, and that would happen after the year is done [without a new deal],” Adams said.
