Controversial contract situations are nothing new for the 49ers.
In fact, disgruntled or confused star players have been a fixture of the 49ers’ summer schedule for the past five years. Tight end George Kittle in 2020. Linebacker Fred Warner in 2021. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel in 2022. Edge rusher Nick Bosa last summer.
This time it’s wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s turn to experience how the 49ers operate.
The saga took its first significant twist on Tuesday, a week before the veterans are scheduled to report to Santa Clara for training camp, when Aiyuk requested a trade, NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo first reported, citing a source.
According to Garafolo, the 49ers “have not been willing to negotiate since May.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter later reported that the 49ers have “no intention” of trading Aiyuk.
Aiyuk is represented by agent Ryan Williams, who also happens to be a close friend of 49ers general manager John Lynch.
Aiyuk recently said on “The Pivot” podcast that he believed he was close to signing a contract extension earlier in the offseason.
Apparently the wide receiver market changed, and with it Aiyuk’s perceived value.
Detroit receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension in April. Miami’s Jaylen Waddle signed a three-year, $85 million contract extension in May.
While this is certainly not a shocking development, it is a signal that Aiyuk and Williams believe the situation is becoming serious enough to warrant drastic action.
Lynch was candid in the early stages of the offseason, indicating that several teams had reached out to him to inquire about Aiyuk’s availability.
According to Lynch, the 49ers closed the door on any trade talks after Day One of the NFL Draft.
The 49ers selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick. They also signed receiver Jauan Jennings to a two-year contract extension and selected Arizona speedster Jacob Cowing in the fourth round of the draft.
“We’re happy with our wide receiver group,” Lynch said in late April. “We’re more than happy, actually. We’re really happy with it and happy to have added Ricky to that group and even make him stronger.”
Aiyuk led the 49ers in receptions and receiving yards in both of the past two seasons. In those two seasons, Aiyuk had 153 receptions for 2,357 yards and 15 touchdowns.
When Samuel asked for a trade two years ago, Lynch said, “I would be stupid to trade him.”
Perhaps Lynch believes the same is true for Aiyuk. The 49ers have a massive contract looming in a year for quarterback Brock Purdy, so there are salary cap implications why it’s reasonable for San Francisco to refuse to meet Aiyuk’s demands.
But there’s also no question that the 49ers will be a better team in 2024 with Aiyuk — unhappy or not — on the roster.
While it’s hard to believe Aiyuk is going anywhere this season, the 49ers need to determine if he and a market-value contract are best for the future of the organization.
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