What Two NFL Insiders had to say About Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers Contract Negotiations

Everything is on the table with how contract negotiations between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers will play out. Here is what NFL insiders Tom Pelissero and Judy Battista had to say about it.

Jan 28, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) reacts after catching a ball that bounced off the face mask of Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (not pictured) during the second half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Very little light has been shed on the contract negotiations between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers.

It was barely reported by Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle in the last week that the 49ers have an offer on the table for Aiyuk that pays him $26 million annually. Clearly it is an offer, assuming the report is true, that doesn't appeal to Aiyuk or he would've signed it by now.

There is no telling when the two sides will find an agreement or if they ever will. Everything is on the table including having Aiyuk play out the last year of his deal. That has been the echoing sentiment all around. NFL insiders Tom Pelissero and Judy Battista recently commented on the situation between Aiyuk and the 49ers.

"He has made his statement to the 49ers, who have been trying to get a deal done," said Pelissero on NFL Network's "The Insiders" segment (h/t 49ers Webzone). "The price in a trade was going to be high, talking about a first-round pick and probably more," Pelissero stated. "Once the 2024 draft passed without a trade, all signs pointing toward Aiyuk being on the 49ers in 2024. The real question now is does he play that out? Probably gets tagged in 2025, and then we see where things go. Or can they find a path to get something done now?"

It's intriguing that Pelissero says "probably gets tagged" with Aiyuk. That seems to be where this is headed for him, which is playing out the final year of his deal and then ending up getting the franchise tag. Basically, he is going to be next year's Tee Higgins with the hope that a deal can be reached.

But there is no need to panic yet. An agreement on a contract extension is still very well on the table for Aiyuk and the 49ers. Patience is what is key here as prior contract negotiations have shown us.

"Keep in mind, we've said this before, but San Francisco is pretty comfortable playing things out through the summer," said Battista. "They don't rush through things, and they have let superstar contracts go all the way into August. So we'll see. We've got some time with San Francisco."