Soon after reports stated that the initial meeting between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers went well, new reports say the opposite.
In an appearance on NFL Network's The Insiders, Mike Garofolo revealed that negotiations have stalled between Aiyuk and the 49ers.
"They are no closer to a deal, from my understanding, but they are also no closer to a trade request," Garofolo said. "That's never been something that he has explored in this case."
While this has some people expecting the 49ers to simply wait a year before making a decision, others speculate that it would be smarter for San Francisco to cut their losses and trade Aiyuk to another team.
This includes Joe Tansey of Bleacher Report, who listed the veteran wide receiver as one of the 49ers' top trade candidates.
"Aiyuk is scheduled to become a free agent in 2025, and if he does sign a new deal, the 49ers are prepared for his exit," Tansey said. "They selected Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing in the 2024 NFL draft to fill depth behind Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings.
"The 49ers could look to get something in return for Aiyuk at some point in 2024 if the contract negotiations do not improve."
While Tansey believes that San Francisco should try to hold onto Aiyuk, he also acknowledges that the star receiver is also a huge trade asset.
"Plenty of teams need a No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver across the NFL. That makes a potential Aiyuk deal intriguing because the 49ers could get a decent draft pick haul if negotiations completely fall apart."
There's no doubt that 49ers fans want to see Aiyuk stay in San Francisco. But if a deal can't be reached, he can at least be used to ensure a better team in the future.
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