The NFL off-season is always good for a few holdouts in the NFL and this year is no different. One of the bigger names looking for an uptick in cash flow for his services is 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk has skipped the off-season program, including the recent 49ers mandatory minicamp. And now he’s posted a face-time conversation he had with his former Arizona State QB Jayden Daniels, where he says, “they said they don’t want me back.”
Brandon Aiyuk Update #49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk tells his former teammate at ASU, Jayden Daniels “they said they don’t want me back”#fttb pic.twitter.com/4S80T3B0jD
— KNBR (@KNBR) June 17, 2024
This quote comes after it was reported that contract extension talks had stalled, per Jeremy Fowler. In all likelihood this is Aiyuk and his agent trying to get some fan support to put some pressure on management, but we can’t know anything for sure. I do expect they would not have told him they don’t want him back, which just seems counterproductive for them.
There are plenty of teams that would give him what he’s asking for and after this season he’ll be a free agent. That lends some credence to the idea that the 49ers might see what they can get for him, but they also are very much in win-now mode. The team can hold firm and Aiyuk would likely still play out his contract this season, but he would also likely leave hastily in free agency next off-season.
The 49ers do have salary cap trouble, especially if Brock Purdy has another good year, as they will need to pay him and the QB position is still more important than the wide receiver position. They probably don’t want to pay the going rate for a Top 10 receiver, especially with Kyle Shanahan getting the most out of his offense at every turn.
In the end, Aiyuk isn’t in a great position here, as the team probably believes they can make do with other receivers at a much cheaper price in the 2025 season, while keeping a disgruntled Aiyuk, but someone who is also playing for a free agency contract.