Here at Niners Wire we’ve been staunch believers that the 49ers wouldn’t be trading Brandon Aiyuk this offseason. That was the case before the draft, and it was certainly the case once the draft ended and San Francisco’s chances to get something of value in 2024 diminished to something in the realm of nothing.
Even his recent trade request felt more like a formality in the 49ers’ typical, seemingly interminable negotiation process. This isn’t just speculation on our end though. ESPN’s Adam Schefter is also in the camp that the All-Pro receiver won’t be dealt.
Here’s what Schefter said via our friends at 49ers Webzone:
The 49ers do not want to and do not intend to trade Brandon Aiyuk, despite the fact that he has asked the team officially to move on from him. And really, what this comes down to is, there is a disagreement on his value.
The wide receiver market this offseason has shifted in front of everybody’s eyes. If you look at all the wide receiver deals that have gotten done and the average annual salaries paid to wide receivers, you will see that the number has grown very much and very quickly to the point where what the Niners are offering Brandon Aiyuk isn’t in there.
This disagreement over Aiyuk’s value is what the team should be attempting to iron out at this point, although part of the reason Aiyuk requested a trade according to reports was that the team hasn’t been willing to negotiate since May.
What we’re seeing is the 49ers holding fast at whatever their number is, while Aiyuk does the same. The frustration lies in the fact the WR market is set. CeeDee Lamb still needs an extension from the Cowboys, but beyond that there are plenty of comps available for the 49ers to use when assessing Aiyuk’s value vs. the market.
Perhaps they are going to stand firm on their offer in the belief that it’s in line with the rest of the NFL. Aiyuk may do the same and then this reaches an impasse where Aiyuk either continues his holdout or plays out his fifth-year option before trying to get a new deal next year.
It would behoove the 49ers to come to the table and bring their offer up some to try and get this deal done. Even if they’re staunch in their belief that he’s worth whatever amount they’ve offered, at least trying to get closer to his number might ease some of the tension there appears to be with training camp less than a week away.
