SANTA CLARA, Calif.—The San Francisco 49ers have no intention of accommodating star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s trade request and remain committed to getting a long-term extension done with one of their most important offensive players.
General Manager John Lynch said there are no absolutes but that the 49ers “expect Brandon to be an integral part of our team like he has been, and are excited about that.”
The 49ers arrived at training camp on Tuesday, a day before their first practice of the summer, and Lynch said he expected Aiyuk to report despite skipping the entire offseason program, including a mandatory minicamp.
Aiyuk would have been subject to potential fines if he didn’t show up, but he still could try to follow the path of fellow 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who skipped the first four training-camp practices in 2022 while negotiating for a long-term extension.
Lynch said he expects every player to practice but remains focused on reaching a long-term deal with Aiyuk.
“We’ve had great communication,” Lynch said. “We started this really early. We made it a priority to try to get it done. I really don’t want to characterize it. We haven’t been able to, and that’s a shame. But Brandon’s a big part of our team, and we expect that he will be this year.”
The Niners have done a good job rewarding their homegrown stars, handing out megadeals the past four off-seasons to Samuel, tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, and defensive lineman Nick Bosa.
While Samuel missed only a handful of practices in 2022, Bosa held out until a few days before the season opener last year.
Both players said the long contract disputes weighed on them and impacted their performance during those seasons. The Niners hope that isn’t the case with Aiyuk.
“NFL seasons are real hard. So, any time you don’t really get to prepare the right way in training camp, it’s a challenge for all those players,” Coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But tons of players have gone through it. Some have bigger challenges than others. Each one’s different. ... So, both of those guys have their individual experiences with it. It never helps. But that’s something that’s not a new thing, something you have to deal with.”
Aiyuk has gotten advice from his teammates who have gone through similar negotiations, with Kittle passing on tips he got in 2020 from veteran defensive back Richard Sherman.
“Contract [negotiations] are like braces,” Kittle said. “They suck the entire time, and then once you get them off, you forget that you ever had them. But this time, in the case of the contract, you get a big bag of money. ... I just try to tell him, it’s a horrible process. I hated the entire process when I was going through it. Bosa’s last year was awful. He didn’t get it done until the first week of the season. It’s not fun.”
Aiyuk is currently under the fifth-year option worth about $14.1 million this season. Eight NFL receivers have signed contracts worth at least $70 million already this offseason, with Justin Jefferson’s four-year, $140 million extension with Minnesota setting the top of the market.
Aiyuk was a key part of San Francisco’s offense last season as he formed a great connection with quarterback Brock Purdy. Aiyuk had 75 catches and a career-high 1,375 yards, with seven touchdowns, as he earned second-team All-Pro honors.
He put up those numbers in an offense that passed at the second-lowest rate in the NFL and boasted several other star playmakers such as Samuel, Kittle, and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.
Aiyuk’s 12.8 average yards receiving per target were the highest mark for any player with at least 75 targets in a season since Jordy Nelson averaged 13.2 for Green Bay in 2011.
Aiyuk has 269 catches for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in four seasons since being drafted 25th overall out of Arizona State in 2020. He has taken off since Purdy became the team’s quarterback, with eight of the 11 100-yard receiving games in his career coming with Purdy as the starter.
NOTES: First-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will miss at least the first four practices of training camp after injuring his hamstring while working out on his own. ... Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles), safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee), and defensive end Drake Jackson (knee) will open camp on the physically unable to perform list as they work back from injuries from last season. ... Kittle (core), cornerback Charvarius Ward (core), and center Jake Brendel (knee) have been cleared to practice.
