John Lynch & Co Look To Retain Brandon Aiyuk Despite Drafting Ricky Pearsall

Brandon Aiyuk has been the link of unrest in the San Francisco 49ers. The team hasn’t reached common ground with the wide receiver’s contract extension. After the Super Bowl champion had candidly expressed his desire to get his money’s worth, trade rumors have been the talk of the town this offseason.

The 25th pick of the 2020 Draft will enter the final year of his rookie contract this upcoming season. While he is set to make $14 million in 2024, it’s expected that the WR might wish for a future annual salary of around $28 million. After having his career-best season last year, it’s speculated that the franchise would wish to retain Aiyuk, a sentiment echoed by an NFL Insider’s latest report.

The 49ers have Brandon Aiyuk extension as a priority

Aiyuk’s trade rumors have been abuzz in the past few months. While one source reported that three franchises, including the Steelers and Ravens, were interested, the WR’s agent had denied the news. NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport addressed the many trade speculations and reported that San Francisco might go on a different route.

“It doesn’t seem like that [trade] is in the cards, at least right now,” said the Insider on NFL Total Access. He further shared his “understanding of the situation,” clearly stating that the “49ers are gonna move forward with Brandon Aiyuk on the roster.” This revelation, while not completely a surprise, is a relief for fans, who were fostering doubts about the WR’s future after Ricky Pearsell‘s draft.

San Francisco’s draft of the Florida receiver as the 31st overall pick surprised everyone and fueled Aiyuk’s departure rumors. Moreover, there were reports that the team initially considered trading their starter WR for moving up the draft lineup. However, General Manager John Lynch reaffirmed the team’s intention to retain Aiyuk and explained why Perasell was picked.

John Lynch wants to keep the “roster together“

The 49ers have important decisions to make when it comes to their receiver positions. Apart from Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel is also in the final year of his contract, and both players are awaiting a decision for the 2025 season. After this year’s Draft, several reports suggested that San Francisco was deliberating trade to move up in the picks. The GM recently came forward to clear the air.

“During the course of drafts and offseasons, do conversations happen? Absolutely they do,” said Lynch via the Bay Area News Group. “We’re past that now.” He further said that the team is “thrilled to add” Pearsell and their 135th pick, Jake Cowing, to their receiver room and plans to prepare the rookies to take hold in the future. “We have a vision for both those guys, how they can contribute.”

Lynch also addressed Aiyuk and Samuel’s trade speculations, expressing his wish to continue with their former draft picks and that he was “proud,” to see their progress. “I’m doing everything in my power to keep our roster together,” he said. “… I’ve got so much belief. When you’ve got Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo, those are guys we drafted. They’re guys we take a lot of pride in who they’ve become. We couldn’t be more proud of those guys.”

It seems like the San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are on the same page concerning his future on the team. The only aspect left is the money talk. Do you think the WR will reach common ground about his contract with his first home team? Let us know in the comments!