While contract negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers haven't exactly gone smoothly, Brandon Aiyuk has made it clear his preference is to stay with the team that traded up to draft him in the first round in 2020.

Aiyuk knows he is in the best place possible for him to continue to flourish after a 2023 season that saw him named second-team All-Pro.

A California native whose furthest move east to play his football came when he transferred from junior college to thrive in the Pac-12 with Arizona State, there is little reason for Aiyuk for want to leave his familiar surroundings, where he can continue excel as the leading receiver in a Kyle Shanahan offense that does a tremendous job of putting pass-catchers in open space.

While it probably won't be at the forefront of his mind, coming to terms on an extension with the 49ers would also give Aiyuk the chance to join a very select club in franchise history.

Aiyuk is in a position to command a deal approaching $30 million a year because of play over the last two seasons that has seen him record back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns.

Assuming his contract saga does end with him remaining on the 49ers' roster for 2024, Aiyuk will have the chance to make it three in a row, a feat just two other two pass-catchers have achieved.

Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens are the only other receivers in franchise history to record three successive 1,000-yard seasons.

Rice racked up 11 successive such campaigns between 1986 and 1996, while Owens recorded four in a row between 2000 and 2003.

Aiyuk therefore will have the chance to join some exalted company with an achievement that would be very meaningful to a player who grew up a 49ers fan.

But he will only have that opportunity to write his name in franchise history if he and 49ers can put the previous problems in their negotiation behind them and find a way to come to terms on a deal. Given his importance to the Niners and the way in which the Kyle Shanahan offense has maximized his talents to the point where he is primed to emulate Rice and Owens, an extension makes too much sense for it not to happen.

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