San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is getting set to play in the Super Bowl, so a new contract is probably the furthest thing from his mind.
At least for this week.
Aiyuk is about to enter the final year of his deal and is slated to earn $14.124 million in base salary in 2024. Based on the season he just he had, he is certainly in line for a big payday, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network thinks the 49ers will eventually give it to him.
“I haven’t heard anything yet, but I do think it’s on the 49ers, right?” Rapoport said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “This is who you should want to pay, homegrown talent. Someone who, you guys remember, when he first got there, I wasn’t sure this was going to work out. It didn’t seem like Kyle Shanahan was that thrilled,. Brandon Aiyuk has worked his way toward being one of the best receivers in the NFL. And contracts are always a battle, obviously, as we saw with the Nick Bosa one this year. These are the guys that you should want to pay, and I do think the 49ers will eventually.”
In 16 games this season, Aiyuk hauled in 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. That was good for a robust average of 17.9 yards per catch.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Arizona State, was selected by San Francisco with the 25th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
After a couple of decent seasons to begin his career, Aiyuk broke out in 2022, catching 78 passes for 1,015 yards and eight scores. He then one-upped himself with an even better campaign in 2023.
Of course, Aiyuk’s marked improvement this season made him a more expensive commodity, which may make it difficult for the cash-strapped Niners to pay him what he deserves regardless of whether or not they want to retain him for the long haul.
We’ll see what the 49ers decide to do with Brandon Aiyuk in the offseason, but for now, they are focused on beating the Kansas City Chiefs with the championship on the line this Sunday.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
