Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk did not attend San Francisco 49ers organized team activities (OTAs) last week, which was expected as the two sides are facing a contract dispute.
Aiyuk and the 49ers reportedly are not close to agreeing on a contract extension, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. This has led to speculation that the fourth-year player will request a trade if he doesn’t get the deal he wants. However, Aiyuk’s agent says that the receiver didn’t ask to leave from San Francisco, despite no longer following the team on social media.
However, another contract recently signed by a fellow NFL receiver may have provided the number Aiyuk and his rep want in a new deal. Just before the NFL Draft, Amon-Ra St. Brown signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the Detroit Lions that included $77 million in guaranteed money. This apparently set the standard that Aiyuk wants to achieve, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
“[Aiyuk] doesn’t need to be the highest-paid in the league,” Fowler reported on “NFL Live,” “but he’s done and accomplished enough in that offense where he’ll probably need to be at that number or higher.”
While this establishes a number to work from, the disparity in statistics between Aiyuk and St. Brown will likely be a hurdle for the 49ers in negotiations.
Last season, St. Brown compiled 119 receptions (on 164 targets) for 1,515 yards, 10 touchdowns and 75 first downs. Aiyuk caught 75 passes (on 105 targets) for 1,342 yards, seven scores and 61 first downs.
However, Aiyuk can point to an offense that also includes George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey as a big reason why he received 59 fewer targets. Despite not being featured as St. Brown, he still led the 49ers in receptions and receiving yards.
Aiyuk is set to earn $14.1 million on his fifth-year option for the 2024-25 season, according to Spotrac. That’s below the $30 million in average annual salary St. Brown will receive under his new deal. But St. Brown also sat out two years of free agency and will US$4.9 million for 2024-25 from his original rookie contract.
AJ Brown earns the highest annual salary among receivers at $32 million from the $96 million extension he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Behind him are St. Brown and Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins according to Over the Cap.
Is that where Aiyuk wants his salary to go? Do the 49ers feel he’s as valuable to the offense as the other three — especially with other talented stars to pay, most notably quarterback Brock Purdy? The team is also projected to be $23.9 million over the cap in 2025.
These questions present the negotiating limbo in which Aiyuk and the 49ers currently find themselves.
