The 49ers wideout is reportedly meeting with the team in Santa Clara today after an impasse.
The San Francisco 49ers have been embroiled in a tough contract negotiation with star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason as the 26-year-old looks for an extension ahead of the 2024 season.
Talks have been up and down this offseason, with several reports revealing that conversations have dwindled over the past few weeks following the 2024 NFL Draft.
However, it seems like things could be back on the upswing soon, as ESPN’s Ryan Clark revealed on NFL Live that Aiyuk is meeting with the 49ers in Santa Clara today, which Adam Schefter confirmed.
49ers disgruntled WR Brandon Aiyuk is meeting today with the 49ers, as ESPN’s @Realrclark25 reported on NFL Live.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 24, 2024
Aiyuk’s extension talks comes on the heels of a busy offseason for receivers, with several wideouts earning new deals near the top of the market, pushing the price higher and higher.
The desire for a pay increase is well-warranted, as Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, ranking among the top pass catchers in the NFL across several metrics this past season.
This territory isn’t new to the 49ers, who have dealt with a number of difficult extensions in the past, although the team has primarily gotten deals done for their top stars at the end of the process.
One potential worry of the extension talks lingering through the offseason is that Aiyuk has remained away from the facility for the 49ers offseason program. Several of his teammates went through a similar process in past offseasons, such as Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa, and acknowledged that they had slower starts to the season as a result.
The ultimate price for Aiyuk is unknown, but reports indicate that a potential contract could be in the $25-30 million range annually, matching several of the extensions this offseason.
With the two sides meeting on Monday, it’s hopefully a good sign that extension talks can take a turn for the better ahead of training camp, which begins in late July.