Brandon Aiyuk might not have requested a trade, but he’s sending a signal that everything is not right between him and the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk and the 49ers are negotiating a contract extension this offseason.
Brandon Aiyuk has been linked to trade rumors recently
Several trade rumors have circulated in the previous few weeks. Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, has shut down any talk that there are serious talks between the 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Williams also specified that Aiyuk has not requested a trade. On Monday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team has received phone calls for Aiyuk, but the team still has no plans to trade him.
Aiyuk has not been at the San Francisco 49ers offseason program
Aiyuk might not have requested a trade, but he’s letting the 49ers know that they need to expedite the process of paying him if they want his services for the upcoming season. According to Matt Barrows with The Athletic, Lynch said Aiyuk has missed the 49ers’ voluntary offseason program.
At his pre-draft presser, John Lynch tries to head off Brandon Aiyuk questions. He reiterates that he wants Aiyuk back, says "we're having good talks and we'll leave it at that." Says Aiyuk has not been to the facility since the offseason program began.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) April 22, 2024
Aiyuk appears to send a message by not going
Aiyuk is following in the footsteps of Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, who didn’t show up for their respective teams’ workouts last week as they negotiate for better pay. As previously discussed on GH, Aiyuk said he deserved to earn an elite wide receiver’s contract because of how he does things the “right way” in the 49ers locker room:
Per the transcription of Aiyuk’s comment by Josh Alper with NBC Sports:
“I’m trying to get what I deserve,” Aiyuk said. “I feel like this season, this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player — what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization. The value I hold when I walk in that building. People gonna follow me because I’ve done it the right way since I’ve been in that building. From the first day I walked in there to when I was in there earlier this morning.
Aiyuk can’t do things the right way in the locker room if he’s not there. He is showing he won’t necessarily be there for the locker room if the 49ers don’t value him as a necessary part of the team. Aiyuk thinks he deserves WR1 pay. The 49ers aren’t there yet.
Will they still feel that way if Aiyuk holds out after the voluntary portion of OTAs?
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At his pre-draft presser, John Lynch tries to head off Brandon Aiyuk questions. He reiterates that he wants Aiyuk back, says "we're having good talks and we'll leave it at that." Says Aiyuk has not been to the facility since the offseason program began.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) April 22, 2024