SAN Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk appears to be close to leaving the Super Bowl contenders.
The NFL All-Pro player showed up to training camp on Tuesday despite reportedly requesting a trade from the team following a fiasco in contract negotiations.
two
The next day, however, Aiyuk, 26, just watched the 49ers practice from the sideline and didn’t wear his gear, according to The Athletic’s. Matt Barrows.
He could then be seen leaving the field as his teammates performed drills on the field.
The wide receiver headed to 49ers headquarters along with general manager John Lynch, according to Barrows.
Lynch is said to have reappeared about an hour later – but Aiyuk allegedly did not.
At the opening of camp, San Francisco’s GM said that the former first-round pick remains in the team’s plans.
“We fully intend for Brandon to be a Niner going forward,” Lynch said Tuesday, via ESPN.
“We’re always open to hearing things, but like I said, we expect Brandon to be as integral a part of our team as he has been and he’s excited about it.”
Meanwhile, coach Kyle Shanahan admitted that Aiyuk’s situation is far from ideal.
Most read in American football
“It’s tough. Especially for a player like Brandon,” Shanahan told reporters.
“But this is something that, if I found out today, you would probably see me panicking even more.
“But it’s something where you understand what’s going on. I understood this all offseason.
“It’s something I hope we don’t have to deal with, but if you do, you have to deal with it.
“So you prepare for it in the way you think, the way you plan and it’s not something you can let surprise you in my situation.
“So it’s definitely not the ideal situation. It’s not at all what you want, but it’s something you’re prepared for as a coach and plan your team accordingly.”
Important NFL Dates
August 1 – Hall of Fame Game – Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears
August 8th – start of pre-season
August 27 – Deadline for 53-player rosters
September 1st – Last day of pre-season
September 5th – season opener – Baltimore Ravens x Kansas City Chiefs
November 5th – Negotiation deadline
January 5th – Week 18 of the regular season
January 11th – start of playoffs
February 9 – Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana
With contract negotiations stalled in recent weeks, Aiyuk revealed two teams he could play for if he ended up leaving San Francisco.
Asked by NFL analyst Ryan Clark what jersey he might wear next season, the general said, “If not a Niner uniform, probably a Washington Commander uniform.”
“If not a Washington commander’s uniform, probably a [Pittsburgh] Steelers uniform.”
The problems continue to pile up for the 49ers as Trent Williams, 36, also did not practice with the team.
The All-Pro tackle did not attend training camp due to contract issues, Shanahan confirmed Wednesday.
The head coach declined to go into detail about Williams’ toughness.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
