The 49ers’ chances of moving on from Brandon Aiyuk are becoming less and less by the day.
With one week until the 2024 NFL Draft, trade rumors about San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk are still circulating on the internet, but one source has been emphatic in shutting them down: Aiyuk’s agent Ryan Williams.
After dismissing a claim that Aiyuk wanted a trade earlier in the week, Williams dismissed the idea that the Steelers are aggressively pursuing his client as “fictional journalism”.
Another “report” that couldn’t be more incorrect. Fictional “journalism” should really stop. https://t.co/jJWOJgNPi0
— Ryan Williams (@RyanWilliamsA1) April 18, 2024
The 49ers have remained staunch in their confidence that Aiyuk will stay with the team, likely on a long-term agreement, but multiple rebuffs from the receiver’s agency have appeared to dampen trade speculation before of the draft.
The ultimate inflection point will be the NFL Draft in one week, but you rarely see an agent come out and publicly refute trade rumors about his client when the player is begging for a move.
Of course, the questions surrounding Aiyuk include when the receiver will earn his extension and how much it would cost the team.
Both are genuine topics that are related, as there are still a number of good receivers seeking for extensions this offseason, including Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson and Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb.
The longer Aiyuk waits to agree to a long-term extension, the more likely his contract will be increased, as new extensions for other players will set the baseline for the receiver’s contract, much like Philadelphia’s Devonta Smith did with his three-year, $75 million extension earlier this week.
However, Aiyuk’s agent squashing trade speculations on several times is not to be taken lightly, as it suggests that he intends to stay in San Francisco rather than try to force his way out before the draft.
Furthermore, 49ers general manager John Lynch has publicly stated that the team is willing to have Aiyuk play on the fifth-year option if the two sides are unable to reach an agreement on an extension, adding to the belief that the receiver will remain with the organization in 2024.
