After a long and dramatic process, the 49ers and All-Pro Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk have come to terms on a 4 year, $120,000,000 contract extension.
With the regular season just one week away, teams with disgruntled star Wideouts are seeming to be more frantic in appeasing their stars with new, gaudy contracts. Earlier this week, it was Ceedee Lamb, who inked a deal with Dallas to make him the second-highest paid pass catcher in the league. That left Ja’Marr Chase and Brandon Aiyuk as the two star Wide Receivers still seeking new contracts.
Now, Chase stands alone, after the 49ers agreed to terms with Aiyuk on a contract that will allot $30 million a year to the fifth-year star. Aiyuk’s deal in terms of yearly value, lends itself to him being the fourth highest-paid Wideout in the game, tied with Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown. This completes a long, drawn out saga between the two sides that in all likelihood was a leverage ploy by Aiyuk and his team.
Throughout the last few teams, it was reported that Aiyuk was seeking a trade, likely to somewhere he could “get the bag”, so to speak. Pittsburgh, New England, Washington and Cleveland were all supposedly in the mix at one point, but nothing materialized. The Steelers, with Mike Tomlin having a close relationship with Aiyuk, seemed to be the most serious potential suitor, but did not seem willing to give up what San Francisco saw as an even return.
In the end, both sides have to be thrilled. Aiyuk gets paid handsomely while staying put with the team that drafted him, a team that is also a serious contender. The 49ers get to hang onto a top weapon in the league and top contributor in their offense for the long-term future. It will be interesting to see if there is any carryover from the drama of the offseason or if Aiyuk will be rusty to start the year.