Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is signed with the 49ers and may remain under contract despite the strange happenings and animosity this offseason.
Aiyuk could be headed to Pittsburgh if the 49ers and Steelers can agree on a trade.
And if Aiyuk wanted to go to the Browns, he would already be with the Cleveland Browns. There's no indication he's interested in that option.
If the Steelers and 49ers can't work out a deal and Aiyuk refuses to sign a multi-year deal with the Browns, we all know there's only one option.
That means Aiyuk will remain with the 49ers through at least the 2024 season.
Despite Aiyuk requesting a trade less than a week before the start of training camp, it was always likely, if not impossible, that Aiyuk would remain with the 49ers.
After all, there were a lot of moving parts and both the 49ers and Aiyuk had to be on the same page for a trade to happen.
According to a recent report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz and NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, Aiyuk and the 49ers are working to get back on track.
Schultz first reported Friday, citing sources, that Aiyuk and the 49ers had resumed contract negotiations after a meeting in which “open and frank opinions were expressed.”
According to Schultz, it's likely Aiyuk will remain with the 49ers.
The 49ers are planning to reach a deal with the Browns to receive veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper and a second- and fifth-round draft pick in exchange for Aiyuk, sources told NBC Sports Bay Area.
However, the Browns were not Aiyuk's preferred destination, so the trade did not go through.
Aiyuk has made no secret of his desire to play for the Steelers, and one source said the Steelers may want him but are unwilling to offer the draft picks, including second- and third-round picks, at the price the 49ers are asking.
So the bottom line is this: No trade with the Steelers or Browns, and no resolution in sight anytime soon.
This saga has been going on for a while, and the 49ers and Aiyuk may have no choice but to continue their affiliation.
Apparently, that has been a top priority for both parties all along.
Aiyuk said on “The Pivot” podcast that he was on the verge of signing a long-term contract extension with the 49ers earlier in the offseason. The deal was a three-year contract that would have paid Aiyuk an average of $25.5 million per season.
After that, the deal fell through, negotiations stalled, and the two sides were at odds.
New reports last week revealed that the 49ers are willing to trade Aiyuk for the right price.
And since Aiyuk was the one who asked for a trade, it seems like he's willing to sign a new contract with a team of his choice. The Browns obviously weren't high on that list.
Aiyuk has led the 49ers in receptions and receiving yards over the past two seasons, and the 49ers are only willing to trade Aiyuk if they can acquire a veteran receiver.
That's why, while they are engaged in tough negotiations with the Steelers, they have never ruled out Aiyuk remaining with the 49ers.
As a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the 49ers are unlikely to skimp on their roster, and there's no doubt San Francisco will be a better team with Aiyuk in the mix.
“It's always disappointing when you can't control all your guys or it doesn't work out,” coach Kyle Shanahan said this week. “You hate to lose somebody, so hopefully things will work out here.”
“But as of now it's still not resolved. Hopefully it will be resolved.”
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