49ers Told Brandon Aiyuk They Don’t Plan To Trade Him

Tom Pelissero reports that the 49ers had a good meeting with WR Brandon Aiyuk on Monday and told him they have no plans to trade him.

Aiyuk requested the meeting after contract talks between the two sides reportedly stalled and he made headlines after posting a TikTok saying the 49ers told him they didn’t want him back.

“Here’s what I can tell you. Aiyuk and 49ers brass met on Monday at Aiyuk’s request,” Pelissero said. “This was a good meeting. From what I was told, both sides said things that needed to be said and they’re going to keep working. It’s important to note here, that there’s never been a trade request from Brandon Aiyuk. That hasn’t changed. The 49ers’ stance hasn’t changed either despite getting trade calls on Aiyuk going back to draft week. They’re moving forward and they want Aiyuk to be a part of the team in 2024. So what I would anticipate here is all parties involved will go ahead and enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, and regroup sometime after that — they’ve still got several weeks here to see if they can hammer out a deal that locks in Brandon Aiyuk with San Francisco for the long haul.”

Tim Kawakami noted contract talks with the 49ers and players can get pointed, and he doesn’t doubt some version of that was said or implied to Aiyuk or his agent related to the contract offers being discussed. 

Several reports have said that while San Francisco does want to keep Aiyuk on a long-term deal, so far the 49ers haven’t been willing to meet the market. Aiyuk sees himself as a top-ten receiver and wants to be paid accordingly. 

The 49ers’ best offer to Aiyuk is reportedly at $26 million per year. That sum would slot Aiyuk eighth among all wideouts in average annual salary, ahead of Eagles WR DeVonta Smith but behind Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle. All signed new deals this offseason. 

Clearly that’s not enough for Aiyuk, otherwise a deal would be done. Aiyuk skipped mandatory minicamp, putting himself liable for fines of up to $104,259. 

The 49ers rebuffed trade interest in Aiyuk during the draft but have gotten no closer to a deal since then.

Aiyuk, 26, was a one-year starter at Arizona State and earned first-team All-Pac 12 in his final season. The 49ers traded up with the Vikings to select him with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

He signed a four-year, $12,531,342 rookie contract that included a $6,673,703 signing bonus. The 49ers picked up his fifth-year option last year that will cost them $14,124,000 fully guaranteed for the 2024 season.

Aiyuk is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. 

In 2023, Aiyuk appeared in 16 games for the 49ers and caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.

We will have more news on Aiyuk as it becomes available.