San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is the latest pass-catcher to skip offseason practices in search of a new deal, according to NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco.
Aiyuk, fresh off his second consecutive 75-reception, 1,000-yard receiving season, is one of several wide receivers who've voiced displeasure with their current contract situations. The Dallas Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb is another, while Cincinnati Bengals' wideout Tee Higgins has yet to sign his franchise tag.
The 49ers can fine Aiyuk up to $104,259 for unexcused absences if he misses all three mandatory minicamps.
While Aiyuk's contract status has been a topic since the 49ers lost the Super Bowl. There have been rumors the team would move him around the 2024 NFL Draft, but a deal never materialized. Then, the 49ers drafted receiver Ricky Pearsall in the first round, further fueling the possibility of a trade.
MORE: Every NFL team's worst offseason move in 2024
There was also speculation that the 49ers would keep Aiyuk but trade away Deebo Samuel to clear up cap space. Nothing came of that, either.
Meanwhile, the price of an extension likely went up after the Vikings signed Justin Jefferson to a record-setting deal on Monday.
Other pass-catchers like Nico Collins (Texans), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), Calvin Ridley (Titans), Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts) and the Eagles' duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith all signed lucrative contract extensions this offseason. The conversation around paying wide receivers has now shifted from locking down your top player to questioning whether or not they're all worth more than $35 million per year.
MORE: Every NFL team's best offseason move
It's not like the 49ers don't have the money to spend, either. San Francisco just reset the running back market with a two-year extension for Christian McCaffrey worth $19 million per year. They also have the benefit of a quality quarterback in Brock Purdy on an extremely low base salary given he was a seventh-round pick two years ago.
Aiyuk's future will be one to watch all offseason as the 49ers rethink how they want their roster to look in 2024 and beyond. They've already decided on McCaffrey, but Aiyuk is a key component in Kyle Shanahan's offense and one that might be hard to replicate in the aggregate.
