San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk wanted a contract extension this summer. One has not come. So now he wants a trade. And the Niners reportedly suggest none is one the way.
This, kids, is what's known as a stalemate.
Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Aiyuk requested the trade "unsuccessful attempts to reach an extension. Despite a recent meeting, the Niners haven't been willing to engage in negotiations since May so Aiyuk has respectfully asked out."
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk further explained the situation:
"Aiyuk, a second-team All-Pro in 2023, is entering the option year of his rookie deal. He's due to make $14.1 million this season. Before the draft, we heard that the 49ers quietly gave Aiyuk's agents permission to seek a trade. That came after the 49ers had told the Steelers in February that Aiyuk wasn't available.
"The challenge for a new team becomes making Aiyuk a long-term offer he'll accept and giving the 49ers compensation that they deem satisfactory. Unless both things occur, a trade can't happen."
Meanwhile, the Niners have made it clear they do not intend to trade Aiyuk. Of course, as Florio noted, that doesn't mean they're keeping him.
"Besides, intentions can change," Florio wrote. "Anyone connected to the NFL knows that. There's a huge difference between saying 'we have no intention to trade Aiyuk' and '(he) will not be traded under any circumstances.'"
All that said, these things tend to work themselves out. Everyone gets ticked off for a while and then bam, there's a contract extension. But we shall see. If the Niners do trade Aiyuk, they would want a star receiver in return. This is a team that just went to the Super Bowl and is aiming to win it. So the situation needs to be resolved here soon.
