Brandon Aiyuk is not happy with his contract situation in San Francisco. The 49ers star does not feel optimistic that a contract will get done, his trainer and former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said earlier this week. Houshmandzadeh noted that Aiyuk figured he would re-sign with the 49ers at one point, but that has become less clear as time passed. More than that, Aiyuk wants a contract in the range of what the Detroit Lions are paying Amon-Ra St. Brown, which is around $28 million annually.
“At one point, he thought he may sign,” Houshmandzadeh said on 95.7 the Game. “So it was like, ‘I’m not gonna come out because I might have to go when I sign.’ And so that optimistic outlook has turned into a pessimistic outlook now. Like, damn, at one point he thought, ‘Hey, I might be leaving soon.’ So now, it’s like, ‘I have no idea.'”
The 49ers reportedly offered Brandon Aiyuk $26 million annually, less than guys like St. Brown, but not that far off. There is still time for Aiyuk and the 49ers to close that gap, and it seems the 49ers want to keep Aiyuk around. But Aiyuk took things a step further last week by not reporting to mandatory minicamp. As a result, the 49ers fined Aiyuk for each missed session. It is unclear if Aiyuk will push this into training camp if a deal is not done by then.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the 49ers could look to move Aiyuk. But if the Steelers were to acquire him, would they be willing to part with a high-end draft pick and $30 million annually? That would remain the prevailing question, especially with George Pickens in line for a contract next season. However, the Steelers would undoubtedly upgrade the team by acquiring Aiyuk, so this situation should still be monitored.