49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk is eager to secure the second contract he believes he has earned. However, the 49ers do not appear to be ready to offer him a deal at the level he desires. Reports indicate that the two sides are not close to reaching an agreement on a new contract, which is not surprising.
The 49ers have the option to keep Aiyuk under his fifth-year option for $14.12 million in 2023. This makes it costly for Aiyuk if he chooses to skip any team activities, with fines imposed for missing training camp, preseason games, and mandatory minicamp. The team has the ability to waive these fines if they choose to.
Aiyuk might consider skipping offseason activities in an effort to push for the contract he desires, but he should also consider the consequences. The 49ers need to keep in mind how missing offseason activities impacted Deebo Samuel after he secured his long-term deal.
Aiyuk may also be frustrated that his teammate Deebo Samuel received a long-term contract after just three seasons, despite Aiyuk being the more productive player in 2023. The key question now is whether the 49ers are willing to renegotiate the final year of Aiyukâs contract to meet his demands, without offering him top-of-market money.
The current highest-paid receiver is Tyreek Hill, but his reported salary is inflated due to inflationary pressures on salaries in recent years. The upcoming contracts for players like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase could raise the market value for receivers even further, making it more expensive to sign Aiyuk in the future.
Teams often overlook the fact that waiting to sign a player usually leads to increased costs due to inflationary pressures on salaries in recent years