49ers Need to Say They’re Sorry, Open the Checkbook for Aiyuk

Stars requesting trades isn’t new for any NFL team, especially the San Francisco 49ers. It’s been less than two years since they’ve dealt with Deebo Samuel Sr. and Nick Bosa, and now they’ve got another elephant in the room in the form of star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. So, what’s the best play?

Aiyuk made an official trade request on Tuesday, July 16, as reported on X by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Aiyuk is in the last year of a 4-year, $12.5 million contract he signed in 2020 as a fresh-faced 22-year-old out of Arizona State University. All he’s done since then is improve every season, culminating in a 75-catch, 1,342-yard season that earned him a spot on the AP Second Team.

How Did We Get Here?

Negotiations didn’t just start, of course. Reports surfaced that the 49ers offered $26 million annually earlier in the offseason, but Aiyuk was looking for something closer to Amon-Ra St. Brown’s $30 million per year deal.

Mike Garafolo said on NFL Network’s The Insiders, “Now, you remember there was a recent conversation between the sides in which I’m told both sides got some things off of their chest to perhaps reset the table for another run at negotiations. Well, that didn’t happen, and the Niners haven’t made an offer, from my understanding, according to sources, since May.”

It was less than three weeks ago when Aiyuk was asked what jersey he’d be wearing in the 2024 NFL season, saying on The Pivot podcast, “probably a Niners uniform, but if not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commander uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, then probably a Steelers uniform.”

The 49ers have simply waited too long and now Aiyuk has had enough.

What’s The Best Strategy?

David Lombardi of The Athletic laid out three options, including doing nothing, sweetening the pot and ultimately, giving in and trading Aiyuk. Lombardi (correctly) notes that the 49ers are unlikely to get a player who can make a similar impact in 2024, and considering the team’s championship aspirations, that option should be off the table.

Sweetening the pot makes sense in a vacuum, especially if the sides are close. When a player asks for something and gets frustrated, you give him what he’s asking for and a little extra as an apology of sorts. The problem with that is twofold. First, can they really be that close? If it were a matter of a few million here or there, it would be hard to believe the team would pinch pennies for one of the premier wide receivers in the game. Secondly, the 49ers — again, in championship now mode — don’t want to play loose with the cap, not with Brock Purdy’s monumental deal on the horizon. This option doesn’t make sense, either.

Lastly, there’s the “chicken” route. The 49ers absolutely have the leverage in this situation. They could play hardball with Aiyuk this season and levy fine after fine upon him until he shows up. Next season they could slap the franchise tag on him, keeping him on the team (disgruntled and all) for a full two seasons. Would Aiyuk blink? Yeah, he probably would at some point. But then, the relationship would be completely irreconcilable and his play would almost certainly fall off.

Buy Some Flowers, Say You’re Sorry, Sign The Check

When dealing with professional athletes, egos matter. Considering what we know, this feels like a situation where the 49ers hurt Aiyuk’s ego, disrespecting him by offering less than what he thought he was worth. Like it or not, players judge their worth by what others in the market receive. If one team overpays for a wide receiver, guess what, you’re gonna have to overpay for yours.

Yes, signing Aiyuk to a big deal presents a potential problem in 2026 when Purdy (and others) are due. But, this is football. So much changes in the span of a couple of years, and there’s no guarantee where the team will be. What we know is that the 49ers are title contenders right now. The window is wide open, they’re sitting on the ledge, and they need to do everything they can not to jeopardize it.