Star 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains linked to trade reports with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, and coach Kyle Shanahan knows the situation is challenging for all involved.
The eight-year San Francisco coach has been down this road, specifically recently with wideout Deebo Samuel, who held out for a contract during the 2022 offseason.
Shanahan joined KNBR’s Tom Tolbert and Kerry Crowley Thursday to discuss the Aiyuk dilemma and a potential trade surrounding the AP NFL All-Pro. Shanahan noted that if the 49ers and Aiyuk couldn’t agree on a deal, San Francisco would aim to get “fair value” for the 26-year-old -- whether that comes in the form of ready-to-replace talent(s) or assets for the future.
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"You're always hoping that it's both, and there's got to be two teams tied to that, and B.A.'s also got to agree on that, too," Shanahan told Tolbert and Crowley (h/t 49ers Webzone’s David Bonilla). "So anytime that takes three things, it's not that easy. That's why we're looking at every possibility and really hoping that, when it's all said and done, it's the best thing for the 49ers and the best thing for B.A."
Aiyuk is in the final season (team option) of his initial five-year rookie contract and is due $14.124 million for the 2024 NFL season.
Aiyuk reportedly is seeking a long-term deal from San Francisco that would net him roughly $30 million annually per season. The 49ers reportedly haven’t offered him anything north of $26 million.
The 49ers’ reigning receiving yards leader wants his money, even if his cryptic social media posts and awkward tactics rub Shanahan the wrong way.
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But the coach does want his star back; that is for certain.
"So I hope it does,” Shanahan said about Aiyuk’s situation being handled. “Man, that would be awesome to wake up one day and know we have this solved. But I try to come in each day, and unless there's something relevant or something that has happened that I got to be a part of and really discuss, which doesn't happen very much right now, then I'm trying to keep it in back in my mind, kind of out of it, and just focus on the players that are here right now.
"In a perfect world, you'd love all that to happen. But there are a lot of sides to it. There's us, what we want, it's what he wants. There's a whole contract and stuff to that. It's the tough business part of this league, and some years it can be harder than others. This is a very difficult one, but it's something you're always holding out hope for."
There is no telling if Aiyuk’s contract situation will be resolved in a way that benefits all parties.
However, Shanahan made two things clear: he wants Aiyuk back, and if that is not possible, San Francisco wants a haul in exchange for him.