Brandon Aiyuk is among the NFL's young receivers in line to soon get a lucrative extension.
The 49ers are hoping that will be with them, but it isn't clear if it will be.
Aiyuk hasn't committed to San Francisco as his long-term home during the 2024 NFL offseason. There are rumblings that he could request a trade and leave the team if the two parties can't agree on a long-term contract.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, Aiyuk remains with the 49ers. Even so, there's enough smoke to wonder whether an A.J. Brown-like situation will unfold on draft night or if the tension between Aiyuk and San Francisco will continue beyond that.
Here's what to know about the Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors as the 49ers assess their wide receiver room.
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Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors, timeline of cryptic offseason behavior
Questions about Aiyuk's future with the 49ers began, in earnest, shortly after the 49ers lost Super Bowl 58 to the Chiefs.
Reporters asked Aiyuk during San Francisco's locker cleanouts if he expected to be back with the 49ers next season.
"If that's the right move," he cryptically responded.
Aiyuk's comments came after his friend, Draysean Hudson, posted an Instagram video calling out Aiyuk's lack of targets in the Super Bowl and implying that the receiver would leave San Francisco during the offseason. Aiyuk's girlfriend Rochelle Searight posted a TikTok the next day — locker cleanout day — addressing his uncertain future.
"This might have been the last day we touched foot on Levi's Stadium," she said, "because we might not be out here next year."
That led to heavy speculation about Aiyuk's status, fueled by his social media posts.
On March 19, Aiyuk shouted out his "twin" Mike Tomlin on X (formerly Twitter). That led many to believe he was seeking a trade to the Steelers, but nothing has yet come of it.
On April 13, NFL fans and media members noticed Aiyuk unfollowed the 49ers on Instagram. That led to a report that the wideout had requested a trade, something his agent denied on social media on April 14.
You need better sources. https://t.co/iB7Y6CDcGt
— Ryan Williams (@RyanWilliamsA1) April 14, 2024
Two days later, ESPN's Adam Schefter clarified that Aiyuk is negotiating with the 49ers but is willing to play elsewhere if San Francisco refuses to meet his demands.
"I think his desire to get paid is greater than his desire to stay in San Francisco," Schefter said on ESPN's NFL Live. "If the 49ers want to pay him, I'm sure he'd love to stay in San Francisco. If another team would like to pay him, I'm sure he'd like to go there."
"This is a situation that is still sorting itself out," Schefter added. "There has been contract discussions between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk. They continue to go on. We'll see if they hit any snags. If they continue to go well, then of course they could work out a deal. If not, at some point in time, there reaches a cut-off — like the NFL Draft — where if you can't get a deal done, perhaps you entertain the idea of moving on from him."
The first night of the 2024 NFL Draft — Thursday, April 25 — will be a milestone in the Aiyuk saga, but even if he remains with San Francisco past that point, there's no guarantee he will play without first receiving a high-priced extension.
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Brandon Aiyuk contract details
Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2024. He will make just over $14.1 million while playing on his fifth-year option and will become a free agent following the season.
The 49ers can keep Aiyuk at that price. They still have $6.4 million in cap space for the 2024 NFL season with him already under contract per OverTheCap.com.
However, the 49ers project to be nearly $23.9 million over the cap in 2025, so signing Aiyuk to a lucrative extension won't be easy, especially with a big-money deal soon coming for Brock Purdy. That may incentivize the 49ers to trade him if they can find the right offer.
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Brandon Aiyuk contract projection
Aiyuk's deal should at least be comparable to that of DeVonta Smith, who signed a three-year, $75 million extension with the Eagles during the offseason.
Like Smith, Aiyuk has logged two 1,000-yard seasons during his NFL career. He also works alongside another top-tier receiver, Deebo Samuel, in a tandem that functions as one of the NFL's best.
Aiyuk may command more than Smith, as Aiyuk posted 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season en route to a second-team All-Pro nod. At 6-0, 200 pounds, he also is a bit thicker than Smith, who is 6-0, 170 pounds.
Aiyuk figures to get something close to the $25 million average annual value (AAV) given to Smith, but he may get a longer extension of four or five years. He could also receive more in guarantees or perhaps just a slight increase in AAV.
Overall, a four-year, $108 million deal ($27 million AAV) seems like a far starting point for Aiyuk. That said, he may be able to negotiate that up into the $30 million AAV range as other receivers like Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Ja'Marr Chase prepare to reset the receiver market.
