49ers and Brandon Aiyuk agree to take unusual step in negotiations over contract extension
It is no secret that Brandon Aiyuk is not happy with the way his contract negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers have progressed. With no sign of a break in the impasse between his representatives and the Niners, Aiyuk went public last week by posting a video on TikTok in which he claimed on a […]
It is no secret that Brandon Aiyuk is not happy with the way his contract negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers have progressed.
With no sign of a break in the impasse between his representatives and the Niners, Aiyuk went public last week by posting a video on TikTok in which he claimed on a FaceTime call with close friend Jayden Daniels that San Francisco had the said he was not wanted back with the team.
Several reports have since insisted that is not the case and that the 49ers are simply not willing to meet Aiyuk's current price.
Now, Aiyuk and the 49ers' hierarchy are now seemingly set to get together to hash things out.
ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday confirmed claims from Ryan Clark on NFL Live that Aiyuk is to meet with Niners GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan to discuss the negotiations.
Clark said that Aiyuk had taken the negotiations and the offers the 49ers have made so far "personal". The All-Pro wide receiver's first choice is to stay with the reigning NFC champions, Clark added, though he is willing to play elsewhere in the seemingly unlikely event they trade him.
It's no guarantee that the meeting between the two sides will be a positive step in this long saga.
However, Aiyuk has a strong relationship with both Lynch and Shanahan, texting them with praise after they selected his former Arizona State teammate Ricky Pearsall in the first round. Meeting with the 2020 first-round pick gives Lynch and Shanahan the opportunity to provide some crucial mediation and, hopefully, reassure Aiyuk that talks to this point are not reflective of how they feel about him as a player.
The fact that Aiyuk is not so disgruntled that he is willing to request a meeting should also be regarded as a positive for the 49ers.
Still, that Aiyuk's frustration has reached a point where he has felt the need to take this step speaks to the difficulty for star players of negotiating with a team that has a track record of waiting until training camp to get such deals done.
Aiyuk will be hoping this unexpected move helps speed up a very difficult process and allows him to get his wish and stay with the 49ers on a deal that illustrates his status as one of the best receivers in football.
Coming to terms on a deal at this point in the calendar would be a deviation from the norm for San Francisco, but it's one that may be necessary to ensure Brock Purdy's top target is in the best possible mindset heading into training camp and that a prolonged stand-off does not adversely impact the 2024 season for a player who is crucial to the Niners' hopes of finally winning a sixth Super Bowl.
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