The daytime drama of the San Francisco 49ers extends beyond contract disputes to brewing egos! Brandon Aiyuk’s contract saga has been a hot topic ever since he missed the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. Although he did report to training camp recently, he opted for a “hold in” approach – attending but not participating in drills.

From recent developments, it’s clear Aiyuk is seeking a contract extension similar to those of his peers, arguably aiming for around $30 million per year. The 49ers seem unable to meet this demand as well as trade him. So, now as per the latest analysis by ESPN sportscaster, Samuel’s resentment might affect the contract negotiations for his teammate, Deebo Samuel, making the situation even more complex for the 49ers in the future!

Brandon Aiyuk’s contract situation might create a ripple in the 49ers

In a recent episode of NFL on ESPN, on July 30, 2024, NFL analysts, Kevin Negandhi, Damien Woody, Jeff Darlington and Field Yates, discussed the ongoing situation of Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers. During the discussion, Yates highlighted that Aiyuk’s contract demand could trigger Deebo Samuel’s situation with the Niners, who will be asking for another extension next year.

The 37-year-old analyst said, “I think people need to understand how complicated the situation can be for a few factors – one of which is the exploding wide receiver market.” Justin Jefferson, who got $35 million per year is currently at the top of the market. Therefore, Yates believes that Aiyuk might expect something in that range.

He added, “I don’t think the 49ers are going to get to that range but the other sort of data point you got to keep in mind is that Deebo Samuel is making $24 million per year and….if all of a sudden Brandon gets $28 or $29 million per year in a long-term contract, what’s Deebo going to say next as we know these deals are all tied to each other.” This will consequently create a rippling effect where one contact can influence the next, as wide receivers aim for top market value.

Aiyuk is currently set for his fifth-year option of his rookie contract – $14.1 million in the last year of his deal. While Samuel signed a 3 Years, $71,550,000 contract with the franchise, and it will run through the 2025 season. Hence, today’s pay raise of Aiyuk would definitely trigger Samuel to ask more the next year, and the 49ers will again face a difficult situation in handling the egos of their key players. But that doesn’t mean they have only Aiyuk’s issue at hand. The franchise is stuck in its offensive tackle, Trent Williams’ situation too!

Does Trent Williams wants to be No. 1?

The team is facing budget issues as both Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams are seeking top NFL salaries. To make the situation more complex and intense, both players decided to show their resentments in the training camp. On one hand, Aiyuk appeared in the camp in “a red golf cart, wearing a black hat and a black hoodie,” but he stayed away from practice. Williams, on the other hand, completely skipped the camp to show his wait for the contract.

The OT is technically under contract through the 2026 season, thanks to the $136 million extension he signed with the team in 2021. However, the shift in the market has made Trent take a step back. Back in 2021, when he signed the massive deal, the professional was the highest-paid offensive tackle in the league. But, soon the $23.01 million per year did not remain the top-tier price in the market as Williams fell to fifth place.

Now, seemingly, Williams wants to reclaim his top spot. And head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledges that this is “not an ideal situation” for the franchise. With the team focused on returning to the Super Bowl, these contract disputes and ego hurts add another layers of complexity.