The San Francisco 49ers appear to want to keep their star wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, with the team long-term. However, they want to avoid paying him WR1 money to stay in the Bay Area.
Wide receivers have seen major pay raises this offseason
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Wide receivers have seen major pay bumps this offseason as the salary cap exploded for a second straight year. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson signed an extension last week that will see him be paid $35 million annually. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown is set to make $32 million a year following his pay raise in April.
Even a WR2, Miami Dolphins’ rising star Jaylen Waddle, inked a deal that will pay him $28.25 annually. One would assume Aiyuk would be headed for a salary of at least $30 million per year.
The 49ers have yet to come close to that. In fact, they want to pay Brock Purdy’s top target about $1 million more per year than Eagles WR2 DeVonta Smith, who is set to make about $25 million annually after his new deal this offseason.
The San Francisco 49ers sent Brandon Aiyuk a lowball offer
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Per an NBC Sports article by Taylor Wirth, Mike Silver with the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting the 49ers offered Aiyuk about $26 million per year:
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver provided an update on the 49ers’ latest offer to Aiyuk in an appearance on KNBR 680’s “Papa & Lund” on Thursday.
“I’m hearing their offer is in the $26 million range, which certainly is not Justin Jefferson money, nor should it be, but it’s closer to that DeVonta Smith, Amon-Ra St. Brown, that next tier down,” Silver said.
If true, the $26 million-per-year average still is less than Brown’s $28 million-per-year contract with the Detroit Lions — a benchmark Aiyuk reportedly wants to surpass — and even further below what ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes Aiyuk’s value could be.
The 49ers’ offer is lowball and a sign of disrespect to their best receiver. Aiyuk said he wants to get paid what he deserves, and $26 million isn’t close to what the market says he deserves.
Aiyuk would sign for a deal closer to Amon-Ra St. Brown
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Per NBC Sports, Aiyuk’s personal coach recently said the star receiver wants a deal closer to what Amon-Ra St. Brown signed with the Detroit Lions this offseason:
However, Aiyuk’s personal wide receiver coach T.J. Houshmandzadeh told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Thursday that Aiyuk would have agreed to terms had the 49ers offered him the same deal as Brown’s four-year, $120 million contract.
The 49ers have a few months to figure out a solution before the season starts. But they have a wide gap to make up after sending Aiyuk’s camp a ridiculous number.
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