Just as the drama surrounding star wideout Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers seemed to take a turn toward closure, the situation may be back at square one.
Shortly after reports emerged that the two sides had renewed extension talks on Friday, Aiyuk broke his silence. Replying to an Instagram post, the former first-round pick threw cold water on the news, which he described as the 49ers “dropping reports.”
Assuming that the “two options” are to either pay Aiyuk what he wants or trade him, a resolution is unlikely to be imminent. Meanwhile, the tone of Aiyuk’s comments raises even more doubt about a future with the 49ers.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested that Aiyuk wanted to stay with the 49ers, but the back-and-forth has built up “scar tissue,” making contract talks more challenging. Now, the star wideout has refuted the latest claims made regarding negotiations while seemingly accusing the team of leaking fake news.
Earlier on Friday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that Aiyuk staying long-term in San Francisco was “increasingly possible” due to conversations over the last few days. That sparked something in the disgruntled wideout, who chose to unravel the newest narrative spreading.
In light of Aiyuk’s response, it’s possible that the reports were San Francisco’s attempt at scaring prospective trade partners into offering more in a trade package. Meanwhile, the franchise’s leverage and options seem to be dwindling by the minute.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the 49ers “haven’t been satisfied” with offers from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, Aiyuk reportedly turned down the opportunity to play for the New England Patriots, who allegedly offered a contract worth $32 million a year, $2 million more than his believed asking price.
If he isn’t dealt, Aiyuk can’t go anywhere until 2025 as he has one year remaining on a four-year, $12.5 million deal. But, with Week 1 less than a month away, he seems no closer to suiting up for the 49ers or any other team soon.