As negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers stretch into the summer, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is making them public.
On TikTok to be specific.
Aiyuk posted a TikTok video on Monday of a video call he had with Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Aiyuk and Daniels were college teammates during Aiyuk’s final season at Arizona State in 2019. During the call, Aiyuk made a bold claim, presumably regarding his negotiations with the 49ers.
“They said they don’t want me back,” Aiyuk said.
That’s pretty much it. The video stops a few seconds later.
Where do the Aiyuk, 49ers talks stand?
Did the 49ers actually tell Aiyuk they don’t want him back? That seems unlikely. What’s more likely is that the two sides remain far apart, amid a lucrative wide receiver market that has yielded huge contracts for some of the league’s best pass catchers. Aiyuk is coming off a career season and approaching the final year of his rookie contract and would certainly like to get his piece of that market.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported an update on Aiyuk’s negotiations, making it clear that the 49ers want him back.
“So Aiyuk and the 49ers have been negotiating, but things have stalled a little bit, which is kind of common for this time of year,” Fowler said. “They’re going to see what happens over the next six weeks leading up to training camp. The 49ers want Aiyuk in the fold long-term.
“So far they have not been willing to show that they will reach the market with these huge numbers.”
Fowler made this report prior to Aiyuk’s TikTok video.
Where does Aiyuk fit in the rising WR market?
Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings), AJ Brown (Philadelphia Eagles) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) each signed contracts worth more than $30 million per season this season. Jefferson’s four-year, $140 million deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in football at $35 million per season.
They are all multi-time Pro Bowlers and All-Pros. Aiyuk — who has never made a Pro Bowl — hasn’t produced at that level. He’s coming off a career-best Pro Bowl-type season (75 catches, 1,342 yards, 7 TDs) for a team that made it to the Super Bowl. He certainly has Pro Bowl upside at 26 years old. He’s ready to make money after making $12.5 million in the first four years of his rookie contract.
Is Aiyuk the No. 1 option in San Francisco?
Aiyuk is due $14.1 million in 2024 on the fifth-year option the 49ers exercised on his rookie contract. Its production yields significantly more than annually, with long-term security. He is one of a number of wide receivers, including CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) and Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals) who have skipped mandatory minicamp while looking for new deals.
Fowler reports that Aiyuk “believes he is a top guy,” which could be at the heart of the rift between the two parties. Aiyuk is a breakout talent, but he’s not the clear No. 1 option on a 49ers roster that also features Deebo Samuel.
The Eagles and Miami Dolphins — who also boast high-quality wide receiver tandems at the top of their depth charts — could set the example for Aiyuk and the 49ers. Jaylen Waddle signed a three-year, $84.75 million extension ($28.25 million per year) as Miami’s second option behind Tyreek Hill ($30 million per year). DeVonta Smith signed for three years and $75 million ($25 million) as the second option for Brown ($32 million per year) in Philadelphia.
Aiyuk’s negotiations could come down to how he — and the 49ers — view him in that pecking order.
