As the Brandon Aiyuk saga continues, the All-Pro wide receiver is at San Francisco 49ers practice on Wednesday. Both 49ers reporter Grant Cohn and KRON News 4 reporter Erin Wilson tweeted that Aiyuk was at practice.
Aiyuk is under contract with the 49ers and conducting a hold-in, so him being at practice really shouldn’t be that big of a story. It’s notable nonetheless given the trade rumors that have dragged on all summer and picked up steam within the last week.
Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweeted a video of Aiyuk at practice.
At this point, it seems as if Aiyuk will be traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers or sign an extension with the 49ers. His presence at practice doesn’t really suggest that one is more likely than the other, but with the 49ers reportedly increasing their offer yesterday, it could be worth watching.
With how many twists and turns the talk around Aiyuk has taken in the last week, it’s anybody’s guess what the outcome will be. A deal is reportedly in place with the Steelers if Aiyuk turns down San Francisco’s extension, and that trade should happen rather quickly. Given we’re that already in mid-August, it seems as if this should be reaching its conclusion in a matter of days with Aiyuk either signing an extension in San Francisco or getting dealt to Pittsburgh.
The Steelers’ package for Aiyuk reportedly won’t include any players, so if the team does acquire him, it’ll just be bolstering the current roster. Of course, San Francisco is a Super Bowl contender and understandably doesn’t want to move off one of its top receivers. It seems as if Aiyuk prefers to stay in San Francisco if the organization will pay him. That’s been the biggest question, but if the team’s latest offer is to Aiyuk’s liking, he’ll remain with San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
