San Francisco 49ers might not be able to keep Brandon Aiyuk

The San Francisco 49ers have a surplus of talent on both sides of the field. And while most NFL teams would kill to have that kind of problem, that often means one player feels left out.

That’s the case with Brandon Aiyuk. His camp showed his discontent after their Super Bowl loss, and made it loud and clear that he wants to have a bigger role in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

More than that, he’s looking forward to getting a big payday, and the Niners are in no position to do such a thing. That only became more evident when CEO Jed York vowed to give Brock Purdy as much cash as he demands in his new deal.

The Niners Might Lose Aiyuk

That’s why, with NFL insider Mike Garafolo reporting that both sides aren’t close at all on a contract extension, Mike Florio believes this could be the beginning of the end for Aiyuk in the Bay area:

“The 49ers have the right to squat on Aiyuk in 2023 at his fifth-year option of $14.12 million,” wrote Florio. “His rights are limited, and expensive. Due to his status as a player under his fifth-year option, he would be subject to a daily fine of $40,000 for skipping training camp and a fine in the amount of one regular-season game check (i.e., $784,444) for each preseason game missed. (The fines can be waived by the team.)”

Florio adds that they don’t want Aiyuk to go through something similar to Deebo Samuel when he decided to skip the offseason program as he looked to get a contract extension:

“Before that, Aiyuk can skip the offseason program, including the mandatory minicamp (the total fine for skipping the three-day mandatory camp is $101,716). And while that could help him get what he wants, the 49ers need to remember what missing the offseason did to receiver Deebo Samuel in the first year after he got his long-term deal,” added Florio.

Aiyuk is coming off an All-Pro season, so he could be highly coveted if they decide to move on from him. At this point, a trade seems like the wisest and safest bet for both parties.