Tag: brandon aiyuk contract

Numbers say 49ers WR trending toward All-Pro form despite slow start

Brandon Aiyuk was open a lot in Week 2. Brock Purdy has to start finding him.

It appears the San Francisco 49ers are quickly seeing some of the adversity generated when a wide receiver misses all of training camp.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and quarterback Brock Purdy haven’t been able to get on the same page in the 49ers’ first two games. Aiyuk, who missed all of training camp because of dispute over a long-term contract extension, has 10 targets so far this season. He’s hauled in six of them for 71 yards. His longest catch went for 22 yards.

Part of the blame can fall on his playing time. Through two weeks he’s played 73 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps. Last year he played in 82 percent. In 2022 he was at 91 percent.

There’s more to it than just playing time, and there appears to be more to it than just Aiyuk getting in playing shape. While playing shape may have been a problem in Week 1, peripheral stats indicate Purdy just didn’t get Aiyuk the ball in Week 2.

Pro Football Focus ran the numbers on separation for pass catchers through two weeks. They have a metric called ‘separation percentage’ which aims to measure “how often a receiver beats the coverage to get open rather than benefiting from a defense more focused on limiting yards after the catch or stopping them short of the first down,” according to their website.

Week 1 wasn’t good for Aiyuk. He created separation on only four of his 12 opportunities. Those numbers help paint the picture of why he earned only five targets.

Week 2 was substantially better. Per PFF he had 14 opportunities and gained separation on 12 of them. His 85.71 separation percentage was the sixth-best in the NFL in Week 2. Alas, the uptick in separation didn’t lead to an uptick in targets. Purdy threw him the ball only five times again.

This is something that has to get remedied immediately. All indications are that Aiyuk is trending quickly toward his All-Pro form. Purdy now needs to look his way with more frequency. That was always going to be the case, but there’s a dramatic uptick in urgency with Deebo Samuel joining Christian McCaffrey on the sidelines with a calf injury.

Purdy and Aiyuk need to get on the same page because the quicker they do, the quicker the 49ers can overcome injuries and solve some of the offensive issues that have plagued them on third down and in the red zone so far in 2024.

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49ers star WR made contract talks ‘more difficult than I needed to’

Brandon Aiyuk admits to making contract negotiations more difficult than they had to be.

It appears San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has confirmed some of the reporting about the tumult during his contract talks with the team.

Aiyuk and the 49ers agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract with $76 million guaranteed, but not without a little trouble that the receiver now says was his doing.

“I’m not going to lie, I made it a little more difficult than I had to at the end,” Aiyuk told reporters on Tuesday according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.

This makes sense given what happened leading up to and immediately following the reporting that a deal was done.

General manager John Lynch was visibly frustrated in a press conference after the team’s final cuts when Aiyuk hadn’t signed a deal. The club was practicing and Aiyuk was expected to return to the field according to Lynch. Aiyuk did not return at that point.

Then after the contract was reported, ESPN’s Adam Schefter released a report saying the contract Aiyuk signed had been on the table for nearly three weeks.

This tracked with previous reporting. Schefter said the contract went on the table on August 12. A report from NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo surfaced on August 13 that said the 49ers and Aiyuk were close on a deal, but there was a quibble over guarantees in the final year.

Since there are no guarantees in the final year of Aiyuk’s deal, and since Aiyuk admitted to making it harder than it needed to be, it stands to reason the Schefter report was accurate.

Exactly how things went down will likely never be known. Whether the exact contract was on the table for nearly three weeks, or if a slightly tweaked one was eventually signed will surely be lost to history.

However, that Aiyuk was willing to say that part of the struggles at the end were his doing is a fascinating wrinkle to consider after the fact.

Luckily for the 49ers, who signed what when and who made what difficult doesn’t matter since the All-Pro receiver is now inked to a long-term extension with his eyes set on playing Week 1 vs. the New York Jets.

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49ers actually created salary cap space in 2024 with Brandon Aiyuk contract

The 49ers now have the 2nd-most cap space in the NFL after getting the Brandon Aiyuk deal done.

The San Francisco 49ers wound up saving money on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this season by getting his long-term extension done.

Aiyuk was due a fully-guaranteed $14,124,000 with the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. There was always going to be an opportunity for them to lower that $14.12 million cap hit with a new contract, but details have given us an exact cap number for him in 2024.

According to Over the Cap, Aiyuk’s salary cap hit in 2024 is now $5,725,000. That means the 49ers actually save $8,399,000 against the cap this season. His cap hit jumps to $11,191,000 in 2025, and then $16,223,000 the following year.

While there are no guarantees beyond the 2026 season, Aiyuk’s cap hits skyrocket to $42,282,000 in 2027 and $44,158,000 in 2028 – both numbers that figure to be reduced dramatically via a restructured deal or an extension if he’s going to stay with San Francisco.

The 49ers are now sitting with the second-most cap space in the NFL according to OTC. They’re at $48,231,713 in available room, just behind the Browns who have north of $51 million in space.

That number will come down some once Trent Williams is back with the club. He’s not on the roster as of August 31, so his cap hit doesn’t factor into the 49ers’ total. Still, they’ll have plenty of cap space to maneuver during the season while also having some rollover room going into 2025.

Salary cap space will start to become something the 49ers will have to watch very carefully with Williams’ deal coming, and quarterback Brock Purdy’s megadeal looming next offseason.

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NFL analyst shows how Brandon Aiyuk impacts 49ers beyond box score stats

Here’s a great video highlighting all the ways Brandon Aiyuk affects the 49ers beyond his catches, yards and touchdowns:

The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk agreed to a contract extension that will keep the All-Pro in the Bay Area through the 2028 season.

There were discussions about whether Aiyuk was worth the headache of a preseason-long negotiation, and whether he was worth to the 49ers the $30 million or so per year it would take to keep him with San Francisco.

Aiyuk was the team’s leading receiver last year and is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. His Second-Team All-Pro nod in 2023 was his first, but all signs pointed toward him being an ascending player in the NFL. However, his ball production isn’t the only value he provides the 49ers.

NFL Media’s Brian Baldinger posted a video on Twitter (currently X) that highlights various ways Aiyuk had a positive impact on the 49ers in the Super Bowl:

https://twitter.com/BaldyNFL/status/1829583984130441547

These impacts aren’t exclusive to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Aiyuk’s run-blocking and how he warps coverages are keys for how the 49ers’ entire offense runs.

Removing Aiyuk and his ability to get open in all areas of the field fundamentally changes how defenses would be able to cover San Francisco’s passing game. It would also change how the 49ers run game works because Aiyuk’s threat as a receiver combined with his ability to clear out running lanes as a blocker maximizes head coach Kyle Shanahan’s options with play calling.

It was hard to envision the 49ers getting better in 2024 without Aiyuk in large part because of how much he impacts their offense without even having the ball in his hands. The good news for San Francisco is they won’t have to worry about it now with Aiyuk locked in through 2028.

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49ers officially announce Brandon Aiyuk signing

The Brandon Aiyuk signing is signed, sealed and delivered.

The San Francisco 49ers made it official with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

They announced Friday afternoon that Aiyuk signed a four-year extension that will keep him with the club through the 2028 season.

That’s in line with reporting about the contract that came down Thursday. No structure for the contract has been reported, but Aiyuk is on a trajectory where the team will likely want to keep him through 2028 and beyond.

General manager John Lynch released a statement with the announcement:

We were thrilled to draft Brandon in 2020 and are now equally excited to have him in the fold for years to come. Brandon is a special talent who is a warrior on the field and plays with a passion that we look for in 49ers. We look forward to Brandon continuing to be part of what we strive to accomplish as an organization.

Aiyuk led the 49ers with 1,342 yards and 75 receptions last season en route to a Second-Team All-Pro nod. He also hauled in seven touchdowns, one shy of the career-high he set in 2022.

The last two years have seen Aiyuk ascend into the upper echelon of NFL pass catchers via his statistical productivity and his ability to impact the run game through his blocking. His ascent as a No. 1 receiver is going to be key to the 49ers’ future as they move into a new era with quarterback Brock Purdy under center.

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Fact check: Brandon Aiyuk is NOT going to Pittsburgh

A quick fact check: Brandon Aiyuk is staying with the 49ers.

We did an independent fact check of the above tweet. Brandon Aiyuk is in fact, NOT going to Pittsburgh in a trade between the Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers.

Aiyuk instead agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $120 million to stay in San Francisco. The 49ers, and their All-Pro wide receiver aren’t scheduled to go to Pittsburgh any time soon. The Steelers and 49ers aren’t scheduled to play again until 2027. That game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

With the Photoshop and everything. Tough.

Ah, well. Nevertheless.

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Deal Brandon Aiyuk accepted was available for 3 weeks per ESPN

Apparently the Brandon Aiyuk saga could have ended a long time ago…

The Brandon Aiyuk contract saga may not have needed to take as long as it did.

Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal with $76 million guaranteed according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

That’s not a major surprise. A deal in the $30 million per year range always seemed to be the logical conclusion. If the $76 million guaranteed is the full guarantee, it would make it the second-most guaranteed money among NFL wide receivers. The full structure of the deal is still unknown, but Rapoport reported the deal is front-loaded, which is atypical for 49ers deals.

Perhaps that was the hang-up in negotiations. However, the hold-in didn’t need to last as long as it did.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal Aiyuk accepted was proposed by the 49ers three weeks prior to Aiyuk agreeing.

That means he held in to gain nothing.

Aiyuk’s agent took to Twitter to refute Schefter’s report.

If Schefter’s report is true, perhaps Aiyuk was hoping the 49ers would cave and offer even more money. Without a counter-offer from Aiyuk’s side it’s hard to imagine there was going to be any movement from San Francisco.

This helps explain some of the outward frustration from general manager John Lynch when he spoke to media in a press conference Wednesday. If their deal had been on the table for three weeks they were simply waiting on Aiyuk to make a decision and he took his time.

By avoiding accepting the deal until Thursday, Aiyuk skipped the entire preseason and will now return to practice in time for Week 1 sessions, which commence Thursday of Week 1.

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49ers agree to megadeal with superstar wide receiver

BREAKING: The Brandon Aiyuk contract saga is over. He’s staying with the 49ers.

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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How much money will Brandon Aiyuk lose during hold-in?

Here’s how expensive Brandon Aiyuk’s hold-in could get.

Brandon Aiyuk’s hold-in has now bled through training camp and into regular-season preparations.

The San Francisco 49ers practiced Wednesday and Thursday without their All-Pro wide receiver despite expectations from the team that he’d practice without a long-term extension secured.

A prolonged negotiation may have been frustrating for both sides, but it’s going to start getting extremely expensive for Aiyuk.

According to Spotrac, Aiyuk will be subject to a $40,000 fine for each unexcused absence he has from practice. General manager John Lynch told reporters in a press conference Wednesday that team doctors had cleared Aiyuk from the back injury that pushed him out of training camp sessions.

That would seem to indicate any further absence won’t be excused. If that’s the case, he’s up to $80,000 in fines for Wednesday and Thursday.

Things get even more expensive if his hold-in lasts into the regular season. He’s due to forfeit 1/18th of his $14.12 million salary for every game he misses. That equates to $784,666.67 per game.

Doing some quick math, if Aiyuk misses all three practices leading up to Week 1, and then misses Week 1, he will be out $904,666.67 for the week. That number repeats every week the hold-in lasts.

More quick math: that would be more than $15.3 million in fines for Aiyuk if he sits out the entire year. He’d also not accrue a full season and he’d enter next offseason in the same place contractually.

This is where the 49ers believe their leverage lies, so they’ll likely do everything they can to impose the maximum fines to try and get Aiyuk back onto the field.

It’ll be financially expensive for Aiyuk to miss practices and games. It might at the same time cost the 49ers some wins.

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Are the Commanders a threat to swoop in and trade for 49ers All-Pro WR?

Are the Commanders suddenly a threat to swoop in and trade for Brandon Aiyuk?

What happened to the Washington Commanders?

The San Francisco 49ers gave wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk permission to talk to the Commanders and three other teams at the outset of their trade discussions. The 49ers have worked out deals with three of those teams – the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.

It never seemed like the Commanders were in the mix despite Aiyuk’s apparent desire to play there.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver and NFL Media’s Peter Schrager have both recently floated the Commanders idea again after Washington acquired an additional third-round pick in a trade that sent wide receiver Jahan Dotson to the Eagles.

There are plenty of dots to connect between the teams. Commanders general manager Adam Peters was in the 49ers’ front office for the entire Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch tenure until this offseason. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels also played at Arizona State with Aiyuk. Tack on a new third-round pick to play with and things get interesting.

The problem here is the Commanders have never appeared to have any interest in pursuing Aiyuk. There hasn’t been any reporting about Washington offering Aiyuk a contract, which helps explain why they’re the only team of the initial four to not work out a trade with the 49ers.

If they weren’t willing to have those talks in early August, it’s hard to imagine they’re going to suddenly pick up the phone and try to work out a trade less than two weeks before the regular season begins.

Alas, the rumor mill is going to churn until there’s a resolution to the Aiyuk contract saga. Things are still at the same tipping point they’ve been at for awhile. The Steelers are hoping to trade for Aiyuk and have a deal in place with the 49ers. Meanwhile, San Francisco and their All-Pro wide receiver are one hurdle away from coming to an agreement on a deal.

While the Commanders make sense as a trade partner logically, it appears  Aiyuk will suit up for either the Steelers or 49ers (with a lean toward the latter) this season.

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