Brandon Aiyuk appears to be on the verge of a significant decision regarding his future with the San Francisco 49ers, but the star wide receiver reportedly prefers to stay with the team rather than pursue a trade.
Recent developments suggest that a potential trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers is being considered, but Aiyuk’s desire to remain with the 49ers has kept the situation in a state of flux.
According to a report on Tuesday, the 49ers have already laid the groundwork for a trade that would send Aiyuk to Pittsburgh. However, the team has also made it clear that they want to keep the 26-year-old wideout and have presented him with a long-term contract extension offer. This offer could potentially secure Aiyuk’s place in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo provided insight into the ongoing negotiations, stating that Aiyuk has consistently expressed his preference to stay with the 49ers. Both sides have recently exchanged contract proposals, indicating that the 49ers are serious about retaining Aiyuk and are making progress toward meeting his demands. The delay in finalizing a trade, according to Garafolo, is largely due to the fact that the two parties are close to reaching an agreement that could satisfy Aiyuk’s desire to stay in San Francisco.
“What I’ve been told is that Brandon Aiyuk would prefer to stay with the 49ers and has always preferred to stay with the 49ers, all things being equal,” Garafolo said. “Now, they haven’t been equal, but they did make that offer. In fact, both sides sent proposals within the past couple days or week or so and the 49ers’ number has gotten better than what it was previously.”
Garafolo further elaborated that the two sides have agreed on many key aspects of the deal, and only a few details remain to be ironed out. If these final issues can be resolved, Aiyuk is expected to sign the contract, retract any trade requests, and solidify his future with the 49ers.
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The situation remains fluid, with reports emerging last Friday that the 49ers had intensified their efforts to secure Aiyuk’s signature on a new contract. However, Aiyuk’s own comments on social media cast some doubt on the progress, suggesting that the two sides were not as close to a deal as previously thought.
Aiyuk has made it clear that he desires a long-term extension, ideally one that would place him among the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL, with a contract potentially worth $30 million per year. The question now is whether the 49ers are willing to meet those financial demands.
If the 49ers and Aiyuk are unable to reach an agreement, it is reported that Aiyuk has identified Pittsburgh as his preferred trade destination. In fact, he is said to have blocked a trade to at least one other team, underscoring his interest in either staying with the 49ers or moving to the Steelers.
As negotiations continue, the outcome remains uncertain, but Aiyuk’s strong preference to remain in San Francisco could be the deciding factor in how this situation ultimately unfolds.
