Although plenty of people are picking the San Francisco 49ers to win this coming season’s Super Bowl championship, right now, there is some tangible anxiety surrounding the immediate future of one of the best and most important players.
Star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is heading into the final year of his contract, and he has been looking for a lucrative extension.
While Aiyuk has said he wants to stay with the 49ers, he was seen in a TikTok video claiming the team doesn’t want him, and Ian Rapoport said that the 49ers do want him, but not at the price he’s apparently asking for.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk says the team doesn’t want him. Which… they do. Just not (yet) at his price. pic.twitter.com/TwryFalIQS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 17, 2024
Rapoport also said Aiyuk wants the type of extension Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions recently got, which will pay him $120 million over four years.
Like Aiyuk, St. Brown is one of the NFL’s best young wideouts, although he was a little more productive than Aiyuk last season.
He had 119 catches for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023, while Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
There have been persistent rumors that if San Francisco cannot come to terms with Aiyuk on an extension, they will eventually trade him.
There is also talk that if Aiyuk does get his extension from the Niners, they will have to eventually trade fellow wideout Deebo Samuel in order to stay under the salary cap.
The Arizona State University product has emerged as their top threat in their passing game, and losing him would be a gigantic blow to their hopes of winning their first Vince Lombardi Trophy since the 1994 season.