After an offseason of negotiations, San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk has made an official trade request 2 months before the 2024 season. While a trade request was always a possibility, the thought was that both side could come to an agreement.
It appears that it’s not happening. On July 16, NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reported that Aiyuk is looking to leave the 49ers.
“Source: #49ers All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk has officially requested a trade after an offseason of unsuccessful attempts to reach an extension,” Garafolo wrote on X. “Despite a recent meeting, the Niners haven’t been willing to engage in negotiations since May so Aiyuk has respectfully asked out.”
Aiyuk and the 49ers are coming off a successful but disappointing campaign. The 49ers lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl, but Aiyuk had a tremendous year and postseason run.
Now, San Francisco will need to figure out a way to maximize Aiyuk’s value in a trade. Re-signing him isn’t impossible, but it’s clear he’s not waiting around for the 49ers. Finding a trade partner will be easy, but San Francisco has lost some negotiating power due to Aiyuk’s trade request.
Aiyuk and 49ers’ Recent Meeting
As Garafolo alluded to in his post, the 49ers and Aiyuk recently met about the situation. On June 26, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero explained that the two sides had a positive interaction towards the end of June.
“This was a good meeting,” Pelissero posted on X. “Both sides said things that needed to be said, and they are going to keep working. There hasn’t never been a trade request from Brandon Aiyuk. That hasn’t changed. The 49ers’ stance hasn’t changed either, despite getting trade calls on Aiyuk going back to draft week. They are moving forward, and they want Aiyuk to be a part of the team in 2024.”
What that report did not mention was that the 49ers had not properly negotiated in weeks. In retrospect, that meeting may have extended Aiyuk’s patience but not by long. Now with close to 2 months until the 2024 regular season, the 49ers are facing difficult decisions just before the season.
San Francisco Has One Major Bargaining Chip
While a trade request is definitely not in the 49ers’ ideal plan, they do have a major tool in their arsenal: the franchise tag. Back on June 21, ESPN reporter Adam Schefter broke down the situation.
“The 49ers absolutely do want Brandon Aiyuk back but not at the price he’s seeking,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. “They have always wanted him back and they were never serious about trading him… The 49ers could franchise tag Brandon Aiyuk again next year if they wanted to. Let’s see what happens when training camp is underway.”
Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but the 49ers have control over him through the 2025 season due to the franchise tag. And while Schefter says they were never serious about trading Aiyuk, they have to be now.
Either way, training camp and the preseason are going to be eventful for both Aiyuk and the 49ers.
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