Report: 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk no closer to deal

The 49ers would certainly be interested in convincing receiver Brandon Aiyuk to play for the team in 2024, with a fifth-year, $14.1 million option. It remains to be seen whether Aiyuk is ultimately willing to do so.

However, NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports that the 49ers and Aiyuk are no closer to reaching a long-term deal.

“As for Aiyuk and the 49ers, they’ve had conversations recently,” Garafolo said via NBC Sports by Area. “They’ve There is no approach to a deal.“In my view, these matters are not closer to a request for trade. This was not something he had discussed in this case before.”

There is a game of semantics going on between the 49ers and Aiyuk. Even if he didn’t ask for a trade, we believe his agent had permission to seek a trade before the players were drafted. We also believe the goal was to signal to Aiyuk that no one else was willing to give him the reported $30 million per year.

Ultimately, no one was willing to give Aiyuk what he wanted in a contract and what the 49ers wanted in a trade. Otherwise, the deal would have been done.

If Aiyuk wants more than $14.1 million, he may have to make a stand. Whether he makes that decision remains to be seen. The deeper question is whether the 49ers will trade Aiyuk, as they did defensive lineman Nick Bosa a year ago.