All 49ers

Is it Concerning That the 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk are "Not Close" on a Deal?

A recent report has revealed that the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are not close on a contract extension. How concerning is that if at all?
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) reacts to his touchdown score during the first
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) reacts to his touchdown score during the first | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio / USA

In this story:


For the first time this offseason, there is a report giving clarity on contract negotiations on an extension between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported on Mar. 29 that the two sides are "not close" on a deal. Such a report can cause some concern given nothing has moved on either side yet. Garafolo did mention that there have been some opening discussions, but no serious traction has been made.

So, is it concerning that the 49ers and Aiyuk are "not close" on a deal right now?

Of course not. This is normal. The last time I checked, there was still three-to-four months left of the offseason and overall time to get a deal done. It would be incredibly out of this world if Aiyuk and the 49ers were even halfway close.

Right now is the time for preliminary discussions. This is where both sides gather feelers from each other to see where they are going to be headed. It is kind of like setting the tone for the offseason for the contract negotiations. That way, as the offseason continues, it will only further the build up.

Eventually the negotiations will become like a tennis match. Aiyuk's agent and the 49ers will go back and forth between the numbers and the years. It will continue until they finally get close to a number that sounds comfortable to both. But that won't happen for a while.

This is nothing to fret over until it gets to July, then that is where it will start to be a bit concerning.


Published
Jose Luis Sanchez III
JOSE SANCHEZ

Jose Luis Sanchez III has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily for FanNation since 2019. He started off as the lead publisher for FanNation's All49ers, then switched positions to become the Deputy Editor in 2020. Sanchez writes, edits, and produces videos daily for All49ers. He also co-hosts a show on YouTube with All49ers lead publisher Grant Cohn weekly. Prior to FanNation, Sanchez started his writing career back in 2016 for the school newspaper at Skyline college where he covered all sports team in the Bay Area. Following that from 2017 to 2019, he found a role as a contributor for FanSided's news desk along with their site's Just Blog Baby covering the Las Vegas Raiders and Golden Gate Sports every professional Bay Area sports team. Atop all of that, he was able to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies at San Francisco State University in 2020. Sanchez is committed to ensuring he delivers transparent analysis and straightforward opinions that resonates with readers to get them thinking.

Share on XFollow JSanchezFN