It’s all over!
Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers have agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $120 million according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. That includes $76 million guaranteed.
This marks the end of a lengthy contract standoff between the two sides. Aiyuk, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He was set to play the 2024 season on his fifth-year option worth $14.12 million fully guaranteed.
It was clear Aiyuk wouldn’t take the field until he got a contract extension. That’s the typical move for players entering a season on their fifth-year option. Instead of risking injury going into free agency they aim to hammer out a long-term extension that gives them more security.
Things got contentious after final cuts when the 49ers began their preparations for Week 1 and Aiyuk didn’t take the field despite the club’s expectations.
Aiyuk’s hold-in made things more difficult for San Francisco, which also had to figure out how to navigate their roster once quarterback Brock Purdy gets his contract extension next offseason. On top of that, left tackle Trent Williams is still holding out for a new contract.
The 49ers tried early in the offseason to get a contract hammered out, but they couldn’t come to an agreement. That led to the long standoff that bled into the first few weeks of training camp. One of the issues that came between the two sides was the exploding WR market that left Aiyuk as one of the only eligible stars at the position without a deal.
Aiyuk is coming off his best year as a pro in 2023. He posted 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 75 receptions, earning a Second-Team All-Pro nod. He can immediately take the field for practice, which is one of the benefits of his hold-in where he was at the team facility for the start of camp. Getting to work quickly will be paramount for Aiyuk after he missed the entire offseason program as well as the start of camp.
The good news is Aiyuk can now get on the practice field to make up for lost time. And even better news than that, Aiyuk will be a 49er for the foreseeable future.
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