The San Francisco 49ers contract negotiations with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk haven’t come to a conclusion. Aiyuk was absent from Thursday’s practice which hints that any breakthroughs with the situation are stagnant.
General manager John Lynch said that he expected the receiver to attend Wednesday’s practice, but Aiyuk missed both Wednesday and now Thursday’s practice.
Read more: 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Cleared to Practice, But Uncertainty Remains
At this point, 49ers fans are anxious for an answer. Will Aiyuk be traded? Will he sign a long-term contract with San Francisco? When will this come to a resolution?
Pressure has mounted for both parties. On Monday, Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million contract with Dallas. It was evident that Dallas took care of their guy and it felt as if the deal could’ve been a wake up call for the 49ers to do the same.
Read more: What CeeDee Lamb’s Contract Extension Means for Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers
SANTA CLARA, CA – JANUARY 28: Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers signals during the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. Brandon Aiyuk absent from Thursday’s practice hints that contract negotiations in the Bay are stagnant.
Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Instead, the silence from the San Francisco front office was deafening. No deal had been done. No news had been reported.
On Wednesday, Aiyuk was cleared by team doctors of his back and neck issues that he had been dealing with all of training camp. The receiver is now subject to fines if he doesn’t show up to practice.
Many thought this would encourage Aiyuk to finalize a deal with San Francisco, yet he’s remained absent from practices.
The Arizona State product hasn’t practiced with the team since last season. It remains to be seen if Aiyuk is in shape and ready to play Week 1, although he says he is.
On the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared that the Cleveland Browns had made a sizable offer to Aiyuk, but he didn’t want to go there.
“They [Cleveland Browns] were already offering more many than Pittsburgh, more money than San Francisco. That wasn’t the issue,” Schefter said. “The issue simply was that he preferred to go elsewhere. I don’t ever rule out that Brandon Aiyuk couldn’t change his mind today, but I haven’t heard that he is. If I heard today that he was being traded with Cleveland, would it shock me? It would surprise me, but in this particular situation nothing, nothing has been what you thought it would be.”
The 49ers open the season against the New York Jets on Monday, Sept. 9. Only time will tell if Aiyuk’s fate lies with the 49ers or if he will find a new home elsewhere.
“At some point, you’ve got to play,” Lynch said of the receiver.
The statement rings true, but which team Aiyuk will play for is still unknown.
