Following a trade request amidst a difficult offseason marked by a lack of contract negotiations, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is not practicing during the first day of training camp.
According to The Athletic’s 49ers reporter Matt Barrows, Aiyuk is not in uniform Wednesday and is watching from the sidelines.
Brandon Aiyuk is not in uniform and is watching practice from the sideline. Also, I do not see Trent Williams.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) July 24, 2024
As shown in the video below, Aiyuk is in street clothes on the sidelines, taking in the 49ers practice as he’s in the midst of his contract dispute with the franchise.
As expected, hold-in has started for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk pic.twitter.com/q8CGXKLrqE
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) July 24, 2024
Aiyuk made news on Tuesday by reporting to training camp just one week after officially requesting a trade from the 49ers.
Though he showed up to training camp on time, Aiyuk apparently won’t be participating in live drills as he continues to wait for a trade from the 49ers or a contract extension from the only franchise he’s ever known at a rate equal to what some of the other receivers have landed this offseason.
UPDATE (3:59 PM): 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says Aiyuk is dealing with back and neck soreness, keeping him out of practice. Convenient as that is, Shanahan also acknowledged Aiyuk is conducting a “hold-in,” in news that comes as no surprise to the team.
Aiyuk is coming off a great 2023 season in which he hauled in 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, helping lead the 49ers to an appearance in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Those numbers, his age and his talents have him wanting to be paid like a top-tier receiver he has shown to be. But the 49ers reportedly haven’t come close to that.
In fact, the 49ers haven’t even engaged in real negotiations since May, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, who broke the trade request news.
In early June, 49ers insider Michael Silver reported that San Francisco is offering Aiyuk $26 million per year. Though that number looks strong on paper at the receiver position for a guy like Aiyuk on a loaded team overall, it would put him well under the recent pay scale of receivers who landed new contracts this offseason, such as Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown, and Miami’s Jaylen Waddle.
Now, with no new deal in place and a trade request made, Aiyuk is not practicing at training camp. It’s unclear if it’s a true “hold-in” or if he’s dealing with some sort of injury, though.
