Brandon Aiyuk reportedly formally requested a trade from the 49ers after contract negotiations stalled in recent weeks, but the future of the All-Pro receiver still is likely to go down one of two paths.
As much as Aiyuk would like to remain in the Bay Area for his fifth NFL season, he wants compensation comparable to what other top wide receivers got during the offseason. If another franchise is able to make this a reality, Aiyuk is ready to relocate, but he is an expensive acquisition for any interested franchise.
A prospective team would need to offer a compensation package to the 49ers for their top targeted receiver last season that would likely need to include more than just a first-round draft pick. That team also would need to have the ability to pay Aiyuk more than what the San Francisco is offering, somewhere in the neighborhood of $28-30 million per year.
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In the immediate aftermath of Aiyuk's trade request, the 49ers reportedly have "no intention" of dealing him elsehwere.
Here are two scenarios that are more likely to happen regarding Aiyuk’s future:
Agreement on an extension now
The 49ers over the last few years have been able to procure extensions for their top players close to, or during training camp. George Kittle (2020), Fred Warner (2021), Deebo Samuel (2022) and Nick Bosa (2023) all reached agreements with San Francisco before Week 1 of the regular season.
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General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan want to keep players they have drafted and developed in house, and Aiyuk is no exception. They do have the ability to pay the Arizona State product now and could work out a deal that might include a higher signing bonus in order to stay under the salary cap while still preparing for Brock Purdy’s impending mega-contract in 2025.
If the two sides can come to an agreement, the wideout will happily report to team headquarters expeditiously to prepare for the 2024 season.
Playing under fifth-year option
If Aiyuk and the the 49ers can't reach an agreement, the wideout likely will be absent from training camp, but presumably expected to report for Week 1 of the regular season.
The All-Pro receiver is set to earn $14.1 million in his fifth NFL season, which amounts to more than the total of his previous four seasons combined ($12.5 million).
Aiyuk might not show up happy for the season without a contract extension in place, but he will want to play well in order to set himself up a mega multi-year contract ahead of the 2025 season.
The 49ers have the option of using the franchise tag on Aiyuk after the season is over, holding his rights and then working out an extension or a potential trade.
San Francisco also could force Aiyuk to play under the franchise tag in 2025, which would pay him the average of the top five salaries of 2024 at his position, netting him roughly $28-30 million for the single season.
No matter what transpires, Aiyuk will be playing somewhere in 2024 — most likely in the Bay Area. Eventually, he will receive one of the biggest contracts at his position, but it is just a matter of “when.”