There has been plenty of speculation that the San Francisco 49ers might not be able to hang on to Brandon Aiyuk long term. With a welcome boost from the NFL's record increase in the salary cap, general manager John Lynch made it clear that their intention is to do just that.

Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie contract, with the 2020 first-round pick set to play the 2024 season on his fifth-year option.

The former Arizona State wide receiver recorded his second successive 1,000-yard season as the 49ers made it to Super Bowl 58 this past season, but he was non-committal in the days after the overtime defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs as to whether he would be staying with the Niners.

San Francisco has a host of stars on extremely lucrative contracts, with another wideout, Deebo Samuel, among them. Samuel was signed to a three-year, $71 million extension in 2022.

With many believing the 49ers won't be able to keep two high-priced receivers on the roster, Aiyuk has been spoken about as a potential trade candidate. However, with the salary cap set at $255.4 million rather than the anticipated $242 million, the 49ers have more wiggle room to help them get a deal done with their leading receiver.

Asked how the cap increase helps them, Lynch said at a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine:

"I think that was a welcome sight that the cap was going up. The thing you have to understand is it went up for everyone, so it's not unique to our team. We have some challenges. We have a lot of good players, a lot of good players who we've rewarded. Brandon's one that we think incredibly highly of, one of my favourite guys around our building, the way he approaches the game. He's a competitor, he's a warrior, he plays with such a physicality, also with the grace, some of the positions his body can get into and then he's got a flair for making plays when it matters most and he's served us very well as a franchise. I think we've got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us and Brandon's a guy we want to keep around for a long time."

Conventional wisdom says the bill will have to come due next offseason, when the 49ers will be allowed to start negotiating on a contract extension for Brock Purdy. Assuming Purdy's ascension continues, that contract is not going to be cheap.

Purdy's current contract is one of the main factors enabling the 49ers to retain their stars, but his rapport with Aiyuk is one of the primary reasons behind his success. With Aiyuk still only 25 years of age and coming off a season in which he was third in the NFL in receptions of at least 20 yards (29) and fifth in yards per route run (2.65), per Pro Football Focus, among receivers with at least 100 targets, it would be the right move for the 49ers to prioritize him at the risk of potentially losing some older stars next year.

Aiyuk has developed into an elite weapon and, thanks in part to the league, the 49ers are in a much better position to ensure Lynch's words are more than just hot air by inking him to a long-term deal.

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