UPDATE (5:50 PM): Responding to an Instagram post sharing this news, Brandon Aiyuk commented saying there are “two options out there pick one,” implying his future lies with either the San Francisco 49ers or the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Brad, Niners be in the media everyday lol, it’s two options out there pick one and stop dropping reports simple,” Aiyuk wrote.
“Brad” apparently refers to the owner of the Instagram page. Our original story is below.
Brandon Aiyuk might be staying with the San Francisco 49ers after all. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, Aiyuk and the organization recently had a frank conversation and have restarted contract talks.
“The two sides have since restarted negotiations on a long-term deal and there is some optimism that Aiyuk could remain in SF,” Schultz tweeted in part Friday afternoon.
While Schultz makes clear the situation remains “fluid,” the top buzzword of this saga, but Aiyuk could try to hammer out a long-term deal with the 49ers instead of being dealt.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero offers the same reporting and says Aiyuk staying in San Francisco is “increasingly possible.”
To date, the 49ers and Aiyuk have had contracts stall throughout the offseason. Reportedly, San Francisco’s top offer has been for $26 million per year, a number they submitted before the receiver market heated up this offseason with several big-name wideouts getting deals done. Despite that, the team hadn’t shifted their figure. Aiyuk is reportedly searching for at least $28 million per season, which would make him a top-five paid receiver or just right outside that class.
Pittsburgh has been seen as one of the most interested parties for Aiyuk and the top place he’d like to be traded to But trade compensation to the 49ers has been an obstacle, San Francisco reportedly wanted back a wide receiver to lessen the blow for losing Aiyuk. At last reporting, the Steelers were waiting to hear back from the 49ers on how they wanted to proceed. Other reports indicated San Francisco was searching for a third team to get involved and trade them a receiver, setting up a rare three-team trade in the NFL.
Now, the 49ers may be making the calculation that paying Aiyuk a little more is better than trading him for a little less. As always, stay tuned, but after months of debating where he’ll be traded, the answer could be nowhere.
