SANTA CLARA — Three months after Brandon Aiyuk’s agent squashed a report claiming the 49ers’ top wide receiver sought a trade, a similar claim has gone public, with no immediate rebuttal.
Aiyuk is due to report with all other 49ers next Tuesday for training camp, otherwise a $50,000 daily fine could be imposed for an unexcused absence. He skipped the 49ers’ voluntary offseason program this past spring and exposed himself to a $100,000 fine by boycotting last month’s mandatory minicamp.
Aiyuk “respectfully asked out” because the 49ers have not engaged in contract negotiations since May, NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday. Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, did not immediately return a message from this news organization seeking comment.
Three months ago, Williams disputed a report that Aiyuk sought a trade, tweeting to reporter John Frascella that he “needed better sources.” That was before the NFL Draft, which is when a big-time trade is most likely, and the 49ers were not compelled enough back then to part with Aiyuk, who’s produced over 1,000 receiving yards each of the past two seasons.
Aiyuk lacks leverage a week out from camp, seeing how unlikely such a move would help the 49ers’ Super Bowl aspiration this season if all they got in return were future draft picks.
Several other wide receivers around the NFL — Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb, Cleveland’s Ameri Cooper, Denver’s Courtland Sutton, and Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — are also seeking extensions, so a player-for-player swap would seem the most likely route to a deal, as unlikely as even that is, however.
Aiyuk is under contract to play this coming season for $14.1 million on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract — a salary that is about half the annual rate in an exploding market for top-flight wide receivers. The 49ers could further control his rights and to leave by placing the franchise tag on him next spring to restrict his ability to leave as a free agent.
Aiyuk, at his own request, met with the 49ers recently to discuss his status, and he has expressed skepticism throughout this offseason that the 49ers even want him or will sign him to a new deal, though he’s also stated he wants to remain with his original club.
Rookies, including first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall, are to report to training camp Tuesday for the 49ers, a week before all veterans must join them. Defensive end Nick Bosa did not report to camp last year and ultimately joined the club just two days before the season opener, once he landed a contract extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid player who was not a quarterback.
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In preceding years, the 49ers have brokered extensions with homegrown stars typically around the start of camp, including two years ago with wide receiver Deebo Samuel, three months after he went public with a trade request.