Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers still haven't come to terms on a new contract extension, but another San Francisco star is confident a deal will happen eventually.
Kyle Juszczyk spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco on Thursday at the American Century Championship golf tournament at Edgewood Resort in South Lake Tahoe and the Pro Bowl fullback explained why he expects a deal to get done between Aiyuk and the 49ers.
"I totally see it from both sides," Juszczyk told Maiocco. "I support [Aiyuk] as a friend and as a teammate to try and get whatever he thinks he deserves and what he wants, and what is going to make him the most comfortable going forward. I really do think they will get it done with the Niners. Because he wants to be a Niner, they want him to be a Niner, and those are the two most important things. When you have that want on both sides, I think eventually you'll get it done."
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Aiyuk is entering the fifth and final season of his NFL rookie contract and is scheduled to earn $14.1 million in 2024.
But like a lot of other young receivers, Aiyuk wants to be rewarded for his production over the last four years.
Aiyuk was an AP Second-Team All-Pro last season after recording 75 receptions for 1,342 yards while catching seven touchdowns.
That came on the heels of a 1,015-receiving-yard 2023 season, a breakout campaign for the 2020 first-round draft pick.
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Just this offseason, top wide receivers Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings), AJ Brown (Philadelphia Eagles), Devonta Smith (Eagles), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) and Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins) all earned new, lucrative contract extensions paying them between $25 million and $35 million per season.
Aiyuk expects to join that group of well-paid receivers.
The issue appears to be that Aiyuk and the 49ers can't seem to agree on what the number should be and where he slots in among the NFL's highest-paid wide receivers.
St. Brown signed a four-year, $120 million contract and Aiyuk reported wants more than that. Whether San Francisco gives it to him remains to be seen.
Knowing that the 49ers are trying to re-sign Aiyuk and will have to pay quarterback Brock Purdy next summer, Juszczyk took a pay cut this offseason, a request he admitted to Maiocco "hurt" hearing from general manager John Lynch.
But Juszczyk returned to San Francisco, and in the end, he expects Aiyuk to stay with the 49ers on a long-term extension.
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