This is going to get worse before it gets better.
The ongoing saga between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers took a twist on Monday when video released was posted on TikTok of a conversation between Aiyuk and Jayden Daniels of the Commanders.
Admittedly this feels a little contrived. Even if you’re going to have this kind of private conversation about your contract situation, why would you allow it to be posted on your own TikTok account? Sure, it might be a way to pressure the 49ers into taking some action and move the extension along — but it could also sour whatever progress has been made.
There’s been a lot of talk about whether Aiyuk will be on the Niners long term. This year he’s playing on his fifth-year option, but after drafting Ricky Pearsall in the 2024 NFL Draft the team seems poised to part with either Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel moving forward.
It’s been reported that Aiyuk is seeking a contract in the ballpark of what other top receivers have gotten, which would put him anywhere from the $30-40M mark in AAV. That’s no necessarily an unfair ask given his recent performance, but it’s unclear if paying a receiver big money meshes with the 49ers philosophy.
Time will tell how this plays out, but it appears this mess is going to get uglier.
