Optics of Brandon Aiyuk attending 49ers preseason finale may not be what it seems

Nothing has been more frustrating this NFL offseason than the ongoing Brandon Aiyuk saga. Every day there's a new update, yet we're exactly where we started. Aiyuk wants to get paid, the San Francisco 49ers don't seem to want to meet his demands, and a trade away from the Bay Area doesn't appear close or likely at this juncture.

It appeared as if things might've finally taken a turn for the better in regards to Aiyuk inking an extension with the Niners when the wideout traveled with the team to Las Vegas for their final preseason game and was seen engaging on the sideline pregame, but it turns out, that might've been much ado about nothing.

Aiyuk did not attend the preseason finale as a sign of talks with San Francisco gaining momentum. He didn't even attend the game at San Francisco's request to give them possible leverage in trade talks. He likely attended because he had to. If he did not, he might've been fined.

Brandon Aiyuk attending preseason finale might not be because of positive extension talks

"Anyone who’s on our team, we want them to make the trip, especially if we think they’re healthy and stuff," Shanahan said, h/t Sports Illustrated. "So, that’s why we had him do it."

While Aiyuk has been sitting out of practice with what the team has described as a sore neck and sore back, they deemed him healthy enough to travel with the team to Vegas for this game. Any healthy player had to travel, and even Aiyuk looking for a new contract was no exception.

He's clearly disgruntled, but Aiyuk has made it a point to be a hold in instead of a hold out. He isn't practicing, but has been attending to avoid getting fined.

The question now is how long will the Niners let him miss practices without getting fined? Once he has to make the decision of either forfeiting some money or risking injury by practicing, that might be when we see some traction either in the extension or trade department.

Chances are, Aiyuk would not have traveled with the team to Vegas if the Niners didn't (presumably) threaten to fine him. He only went for that one reason. While an extension or trade can seemingly come whenever, his attendance at this game likely doesn't signal anything moving forward on either front.