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San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan had a three-word message to describe how the team is handling trade rumors linking star receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Cleveland Browns and other teams.
“Calculated and prepared,” Shanahan said on Tuesday, August 9.
The 49ers and Aiyuk have been in a contract dispute. Aiyuk has reported to camp but is staging a hold-in. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Browns, New England Patriots, and Pittsburgh Steelers are teams in the mix for Aiyuk.
“My understanding is there are active trade discussions between the San Francisco 49ers and several teams,” Rapoport said, adding that the Steelers are still in the mix. “The Cleveland Browns are one of those teams. The New England Patriots are one of those teams.
“And there are a couple of different parts to this trade. Can the 49ers agree to terms on a deal with either of these teams? I would say they’re certainly further along with the Browns and Patriots than with the Steelers. But at some point, those two sides could come together and get a deal in place.”
Aiyuk is coming off a season in which he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns. Aiyuk was a first-round pick in 2020 and will make $14.124 million next season with the 49ers on his fifth-year option. He’s looking for a deal in the neighborhood of $30 million, per The Athletic.
49ers: Nothing Has Changed With Brandon Aiyuk
As far as Shanahan is concerned, nothing has changed with Aiyuk. There’s still a situation where Aiyuk doesn’t get a contract offer he likes from the teams in the mix for a trade and stays put.
“I know a lot was out yesterday and stuff, but from the situation that we’re in with Brandon, nothing has changed,” Shanahan said. “There’s a scenario for anything, so I don’t want to rule anything out.”
Aiyuk reported to the 49ers facility as normal on Tuesday despite the rampant rumors of a trade being close. A report from Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area revealed that the 49ers have the framework for a deal done with the Browns and Patriots. Shanahan didn’t have a timetable for a resolution.
“No. I mean, you also want it to be [resolved] badly, but this stuff does take time,” Shanahan said. “Brandon’s a great player, so it’s real hard to be better when you lose a great player. So, we’ve got to look at anything, we’ve got understand the situation we’re in, what that looks like, and that does take time. Hopefully it’ll all work out best for him and best for us in the long run.”
Browns Decline to Comment on Trade Rumors
The Browns have been front and center in the trade rumors involving Aiyuk for the past week. A move for Aiyuk would likely mean the Browns parting ways with well-liked veteran Amari Cooper.
The Browns declined to comment on the rumors and head coach Kevin Stefanski said he’d keep any talks with Cooper internal.
“I don’t really get into reports or speculate … I’m really just focused on today and practice,” Stefanski said on Tuesday. “As you can imagine, any conversations I have with our guys, I keep to ourselves. We really focus on the what’s going on in our building, not necessarily what’s going on the outside.”
The Browns will open the preseason on Saturday, August 10 against the Green Bay Packers. The team announced that quarterback Deshaun Watson — who is returning from shoulder surgery — will not play.
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