For a second consecutive offseason, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been the focus of trade rumors, albeit to varying degrees. Nonetheless, recent intel from ESPN's Adam Schefter suggests the scuttlebutt should come to a screeching halt once the calendar flips to April ... at least for now.
Per Schefter, the 49ers "are not expected" to move Aiyuk by Apr. 1, when his fully guaranteed $22.855 million option bonus kicks in. If the 2020 first-round pick is still on the roster by then, the anticipation is he'd stick with San Francisco, at least for 2025.
A hard deadline abruptly looms, meaning Aiyuk and San Francisco figure to continue their partnership. Nonetheless, the 49er faithful vividly remember the long, ugly, well-chronicled contract negotiations from last offseason and would love to end the noise for good.
It's been much tamer this time, especially compared to the prior instance. Cooler heads have prevailed and they're committed to each other
Signs point toward Brandon Aiyuk staying with the 49ers for 2025, though his year-by-year status is becoming frustrating
Whether it means parting ways with Aiyuk or committing to him, fans merely want a definitive decision, and we can't blame them. 49ers supporters are tired of the uncertainty and speculation; they want action.
At one point last offseason, Aiyuk requested a trade, and the 49ers came close to appeasing his demand on numerous occasions. San Francisco reportedly had the "framework" of swaps with the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots in place, but neither landing spot appealed to him. Both clubs satisfied the Niners' needs and were prepared to pay the wideout, yet he wasn't interested in representing either.
Moreover, the 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers supposedly were on the brink of an exchange around Aiyuk. He made his desire known to play for the Black and Gold, and the feeling was ostensibly mutual. However, the 27-year-old got cold feet at the last minute and decided to stay in San Fran.
Eventually, Aiyuk and the 49ers found common ground, agreeing to terms on a four-year, $120 million pact, including $76 million in guaranteed money. While it took until the end of August to do so, the two sides got a deal done. The 2023 All-Pro was available for San Francisco's season opener, though he struggled before seeing his campaign due to injury seven games in.
Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 of last season. He's undergoing an extensive recovery process, which increases the likelihood the 49ers keep him.