ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks the San Francisco 49ers could be willing to use a controversial weapon to keep wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with the team, even if the two parties cannot agree on a long-term contract extension.
The 49ers and Aiyuk are not close to a deal, with just days to go before the start of training camp. A former NFL executive recently explained why Aiyuk doesn’t have much leverage heading into training camp. It remains to be seen if Aiyuk will hold out in the preseason or regular season.
Brandon Aiyuk was told he was on a different page
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As previously discussed on GH, Aiyuk said the 49ers front office wasn’t hopeful earlier this spring that they could reach a deal before the regular season:
“They told me that they didn’t think that we were on the same page and that they didn’t believe that we were going to, and that was about it at that time,” Aiyuk said. “But it’s part of it. It’s part of the contract negotiations, trying to sway stuff in either direction. So whether that’s 100 percent true or not, I guess that’s still to find out.”
The WR market changed during the offseason
During an appearance Monda on the Pat McAfee Show, Schefter said the 49ers want Aiyuk back, but things have changed in the market since their earlier talks this offseason.
“[The 49ers] have wanted [Aiyuk] back. They’ve intended to bring him back, but the wide receiver market has shifted, which makes it tough,” Schefter said. “So it’s harder to do a deal now than it was a couple of months ago. And Brandon Aiyuk thinks that he deserves what all these top receivers are getting, and the Niners have a certain price point figured out.”
The San Francisco 49ers could use another weapon
Schefter thinks the 49ers could threaten Aiyuk with the franchise tag.
“So now, when you start to sit down, figure out the guaranteed money,” Schefter said. “Again, the franchise tag here is a weapon for the 49ers, which is not what the franchise tag was intended to be. But again, that’s the 49ers’ advantage.”
The franchise tag would cost the 49ers $21.8 million next year. Aiyuk is set to make just over $14 million this season. Simply put, the 49ers would save buckets of cash by going that route rather than to pay Aiyuk the $26 million they reportedly offered him this offseason–much less the Amon-Ra St. Brown money he wants.
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