49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are paying a predictable price for their offseason staring contest
Brandon Aiyuk wasn't the reason for the San Francisco 49ers' brutal collapse in their Week 3 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, but he didn't exactly help. The All-Pro wideout, who signed a four-year, $120 million extension after a lengthy contract stand-off, had yet another quiet day for the Niners as they slumped to a […]
Brandon Aiyuk wasn't the reason for the San Francisco 49ers' brutal collapse in their Week 3 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, but he didn't exactly help.
The All-Pro wideout, who signed a four-year, $120 million extension after a lengthy contract stand-off, had yet another quiet day for the Niners as they slumped to a remarkable 27-24 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.
Aiyuk had a third successive game with under 50 yards receiving, finishing with five catches for 48 yards.
He played second fiddle to Jauan Jennings, who exploded for 11 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns on a career day that ultimately went to waste.
Aiyuk was targeted 10 times, with the play of his that attracted the most negative attention being a third-down throw on the move from Brock Purdy that he was unable to corral. The 49ers were 14-0 up at the time and potentially would have had a chance to go up 21-0 had Aiyuk converted.
It was not an easy to catch for Aiyuk to make with a defender draped over him, but it served as a perfect illustration of his struggles to produce his best since returning to practice a week before the 49ers kicked off their 2024 campaign.
Purdy, who was otherwise excellent, appeared to eschew an opportunity to hit Aiyuk on a deep ball with the 49ers up 24-17 in the fourth quarter. Had they connected, the Niners could have scored a decisive touchdown. They were instead forced to settle for a 55-yard field goal that Jake Moody sent wide left to give the Rams a short field.
"Obviously, we're scheming stuff up to get him in a great position to win and get him the ball," Purdy said of his apparent lack of a rapport with Aiyuk.
"But defenses do a good job of scheming some stuff up, and they get me off the reads, and I go to other guys. That's just part of the game. That's the nature of it.
"We're going to continue to get better and watch this as well so that we can both be on the same page. But I absolutely love B.A. He's working really hard right now, and I can tell you that we're going to continue to grow together."
Purdy had a terrific understanding with Aiyuk last season and their struggles to get on the same page so far this season are a direct consequence of the time Aiyuk spent away from the team during his long contract impasse.
Aiyuk had no time to properly knock the rust off and adequately prepare himself for the season. He is instead having to knock it off during regular-season games and the results have been extremely disappointing.
His performances are in stark contrast to that of Jennings, who was in the building for the entirety of training camp after signing a two-year extension in May and looks primed to enjoy the best season of his pro career.
Of course, Aiyuk's slow start was avoidable. The 49ers could have got him signed to an extension well before an explosion of the wide receiver market made the deal more complicated, and Aiyuk himself conceded he was guilty of making things more difficult than they needed to be towards the end of negotiations when it was clear he and the Niners were close to a deal.
Aiyuk probably regrets delaying the end of the contract saga, and he and the Niners are now both paying the price for an impasse that could and should have been ended long before the opening week of the season. The 49ers had opportunities to learn this lesson with the disappointing seasons endured by Deebo Samuel in 2022 and Nick Bosa last year following their contract stand-offs. Maybe now it might finally hit home.
Brock Purdy has historic performance overshadowed by 49ers’ epic fourth-quarter meltdown
He deserved a better outcome.
