The San Francisco 49ers seemed close to resolving their standoff with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk last week, but recent developments suggest the situation remains unresolved.
As the regular season looms just under two weeks away, Aiyuk continues his hold-in during training camp, refusing to fully participate until his contract situation is addressed. Despite ongoing discussions about both a potential trade and a contract extension, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on Wednesday that little progress has been made in either direction.
“We’re still stuck in the mud here with Brandon Aiyuk, who is on the roster because he reported to training camp,” Garafolo explained. “The understanding was that he would eventually practice, but we’ll have to see if he’s on the field this afternoon with the San Francisco 49ers. However, there’s been no significant movement toward an extension or a trade in the past few weeks.”
Aiyuk, who is set to earn approximately $14 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal, has been at odds with the 49ers as he seeks a more lucrative contract in light of his impressive performance over the last two seasons. With back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 15 touchdowns during that span, Aiyuk is well-positioned to capitalize on the current hot market for wide receivers.
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The situation with Aiyuk is further complicated by the holdout of All-Pro offensive lineman Trent Williams, who is also seeking a new contract and appears increasingly likely to miss the start of the regular season.
Reports last week suggested that the dispute between Aiyuk and the 49ers was focused on the final year of a proposed extension, which seemed like a minor hurdle to overcome. However, trade talks that once seemed promising have cooled significantly, even after one AFC team reportedly came close to acquiring Aiyuk.
As the clock ticks down to the start of the regular season, the big question is whether Aiyuk is prepared to extend his holdout into the games themselves. For the 49ers, resolving this impasse quickly is crucial, as Aiyuk’s presence on the field is key to their offensive success.
The team and its fans are left waiting to see whether a breakthrough can be reached or if this standoff will continue to cast a shadow over the start of the season.
