The standoff between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers continues, and perhaps there is no end in sight right now.
The talented wide receiver recently met with the team in person, and afterward, there was some optimism that perhaps an agreement could be reached relatively soon.
Mike Garofolo of NFL Network says that the two sides aren’t close to an agreement, but at the same time, the 49ers also don’t appear close to parting ways with Aiyuk, per 49ers WebZone.
“For Aiyuk and the 49ers, they had conversations recently,” Garafolo said. “They are no closer to a deal, from my understanding, but they are also no closer to a trade request. That’s never been something that he has explored in this case. Besides, he’s got to get back to work sometime before training camp to see if they can get something done.”
Aiyuk led San Francisco in 2023 with 75 catches and 1,342 receiving yards, and he was tied for the team lead with seven receiving touchdowns.
Over the last couple of years, he has developed into their top threat in their passing game, and having to trade him would be a major blow to their hopes of finally winning the Super Bowl championship.
Last season, of course, the Niners reached the Super Bowl, only to narrowly lose in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs, the same team that beat them there during the 2019 season.
Aiyuk is heading into the final year of his contract, so at least for now, they seem to have a team set that could very well win it all this winter.
While star linebacker Dre Greenlaw continues to recover from the torn Achilles he sustained during the Super Bowl, the Niners have added veteran pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who will line up opposite Nick Bosa at defensive end.
There is also hope that wideout Ricky Pearsall, their first-round pick in April’s draft, will develop into a contributor — or perhaps even a replacement for Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, should San Francisco have to trade one of them.
