The 49ers general manager provided a strong stance on the team’s extension talks with Brandon Aiyuk.
As the San Francisco 49ers enter the week of the 2024 NFL Draft, talk surrounding an extension or trade for star wideout Brandon Aiyuk has only continued to heighten, given that this weekend likely serves as an inflection point, should the team move on from their leading receiver.
However, as the 49ers have shared throughout the offseason, that still doesn’t seem to be their plan, as general manager John Lynch re-affirmed his stance that San Francisco is looking to keep Aiyuk with the team.
“I’ve communicated [on] many occasions, our wish, and our wish is that he’s here and a part of the 49ers for the rest of his career. We’re working through that,” Lynch said ahead of the draft on Monday. “We communicate well and we love the guy.”
Now, that hasn’t stopped other teams from calling in on Aiyuk, who is one of several top receivers who are looking for contract extensions around the NFL.
While Lynch acknowledged the calls coming in for Aiyuk, the 49ers general manager also noted that the receiver is still under contract.
“Sure,” Lynch said about getting calls for Aiyuk. “We receive calls about a lot of players, yeah.
“We’re really focused on BA being a part of us. He’s under contract, and we’re looking forward to that.”
Still, Lynch did share that Aiyuk has not been at the facility yet this offseason as he looks to get his extension, with the receiver electing not to report for voluntary workouts yet.
Aiyuk still has the fifth-year option for 2024, which places his cap hit at $14.124 million for the upcoming season.
At the NFL owners meetings last month, Lynch acknowledged that the team would be willing to let the wideout play 2024 out on the fifth-year option if an extension cannot be reached, noting that Aiyuk was still under contract.
The 49ers aren’t strangers to their current situation, as they’ve dealt with several contract extension talks over the past few seasons, with Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa earning top-dollar deals over the last two offseasons.
With a significant amount of experience dealing with top-tier contract extensions, Lynch and the 49ers are looking to learn from prior situations, while also knowing that they’ve showcased the ability to get deals done in the past.
“You can always learn from situations and you’d be a fool not to,” Lynch said. “I’d like to have our business tidied up. Those things, they ran the course they needed to, and I’m proud of our record of getting the guys we want to get done, done, but I’m right there with everyone else. I’d sure like it to happen sooner.”
Ultimately, the biggest infection point for an Aiyuk trade is this weekend, as the 49ers would likely hope to gain compensation in this year’s draft in return for the star wideout as they look to compete for a championship in 2024.
At the moment, though, it seems unlikelier that a trade gets done, given San Francisco’s steadfast beliefs in their stance that Aiyuk will remain with the team, be it on an extension or the fifth-year option, in 2024.
About the Author: Insidethe49
