For the second straight offseason, rumors have surfaced regarding 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk‘s future with the team.
<img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" class="size-medium wp-image-534816 alignright" src="https://i0.wp.com/nfltraderumors.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_21885344_168383805_lowres.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1" alt=""Aiyuk played just seven games in 2024 due to a torn ACL and MCL after signing a four-year, $120 million extension.
Per Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area, San Francisco HC Kyle Shanahan said Aiyuk is progressing well but his status for the start of the season remains in question.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported some teams have inquired about Aiyuk’s availability on her Scoop City podcast.
“Brandon Aiyuk is a player that a lot of teams had interest in before he signed that deal last year, remember he signed that four-year, $120 million deal? There’s some teams poking around now to see if the 49ers would be willing to deal Brandon Aiyuk,” Russini said.
49ers GM John Lynch was asked about the Aiyuk rumors and didn’t shut down the idea of moving the star receiver. Lynch seems to want the roster to get cheaper and younger, which could be accomplished by moving Aiyuk.
“That typically happens with really good players,” Lynch said, via SI.com’s Grant Cohn. “I remember two years ago having similar conversations. You get calls and you always listen to calls. Since Kyle (Shanahan) and I have been here, we’ve been the No. 2 cash-spending team. In the last four years, we’re the fourth-highest cash-spending team. So at some point, you have to reset a little bit, or at least recalibrate. You can’t just keep pressing the pedal.”
“I think there’s some good that can come out of that. We need to get younger. I think we’re the oldest team in football after trying to make a run last year. I think it’s good to constantly get younger.”
Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard adds “there’s still frustration” regarding how Aiyuk handled his contract negotiations last offseason.
Kawakami also mentions the 49ers were willing to set contract markets with Aiyuk and DE Nick Bosa because of their title window with QB Brock Purdy on a rookie deal. With Purdy in line for a mega-extension this offseason, San Francisco can no longer afford to go all-in on his supporting cast.
Aiyuk, 26, was a one-year starter at Arizona State and earned first-team All-Pac 12 in his final season. The 49ers traded up with the Vikings to select him with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
He signed a four-year, $12,531,342 rookie contract that included a $6,673,703 signing bonus. The 49ers picked up his fifth-year option last year that will cost them $14,124,000 fully guaranteed for the 2024 season.
Aiyuk officially agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension that includes $76 million guaranteed after a lengthy period in which he was nearly traded to the Steelers.
In 2024, Aiyuk appeared in seven games for the 49ers and caught 23 passes for 351 yards receiving and no touchdowns.
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