The relationship between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers remains rocky as both sides work out a contract extension, but Steve Young believes what once was sour can still turn sweet.
Aiyuk is under contract for $14.124 million with the 49ers for the 2024 NFL season, but he is seeking a massive payday following a career-best 2023 campaign. While negotiations continue, so does Aiyuk's "hold in" this offseason.
"Brandon, because of his youth, because he's not going to set the market but wants to set the market, says, 'I want to be traded.' I don't know how to put this, but it's like, bro, if you want to tear up the contract and do something big, then you might want to go the fifth year and go prove it out to make sure everybody's on board with you setting the market," Young said on KNBR's "Tolbert & Copes."
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"Or, if you're going to ask to be traded, then when [the 49ers] make a trade that works for them, you got to say you're up for it. You don't say, 'Oh no, that doesn't work for me.' Because then it's like, well what do you want?"
Aiyuk led the 49ers in receptions and receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, earning AP second-team All-Pro honors last season when he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 49ers have been in negotiations with Aiyuk's side on a new contract, but also have conducted trade talks with at least three teams -- the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
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But Young has confidence that despite all the back and forth and cryptic social media posts, things will work out in the end with Aiyuk remaining in San Francisco -- on good terms.
"It's been a back-and-forth. I don't know. They can get it mended," Young said. "It's not like there are broken relationships. But it's stitched. It's strained. And I think at the end of the day, Brandon's now sitting in front of a contract that the 49ers probably have stretched as much as they can.
"They don't want to set the market. They don't want to do it. They don't think it's the time."
The 49ers open the regular season on Monday, Sept. 9, against the New York Jets.
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