A protracted contract dispute between star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers came to a head on Tuesday, with the wide receiver officially requesting a trade from the team.
The 26-year-old, who is set to make $14.1 million this season on his fifth-year option, ranked seventh in the league with 1,342 receiving yards and second among eligible players with 17.9 yards per reception last season and continues to seek a contract in the $30 million to $33 million per season range. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports..
According to the San Francisco ChronicleThe 49ers offered him a contract worth about $26 million in June.
Aiyuk’s latest negotiating tactic is the most frightening, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll actually leave San Francisco.
In fact, there is notable precedent for the 49ers following a similar pattern with another outstanding pass-catching player, Deebo Samuel.
In April 2022, Samuel requested a trade from San Francisco as he was playing the final year of his rookie contract.
Instead of moving Samuel, general manager John Lynch waited patiently and eventually rewarded him with a three-year, $71.5 million contract extension in late July.
Three years earlier, regular kicker Robbie Gould also asked to be traded to the 49ers but was instead granted a four-year contract extension in July 2019.
The principle that trade demands will not come to fruition extends far beyond the Bay Area.
Cincinnati had star receiver Tee Higgins and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson both express interest in playing elsewhere during the offseason, citing insufficient salaries.
But the Bengals didn’t give in either.
With Higgins and the organization coming to the conclusion that a contract extension would not be reached and Hendrickson showing signs of backing out with no indication that he will be traded, it’s very possible that both will play in the black and orange for the 2024 season.
A year ago, the NFL world was turned upside down when superstar Lamar Jackson announced he had requested a trade from the Ravens.
That the team’s lack of interest in parting ways with the assets needed for Jackson may have also played a role, but in the end Jackson didn’t go anywhere, instead signing a five-year, $260 million contract to stay in Baltimore long-term.
Other notable players who used trade requests last year to make high-profile deals were Jonathan Taylor and Budda Baker.
However, there have been some recent instances where players’ trade requests have been granted.
For example, after the Steelers signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason, third-year recruit Kenny Pickett reportedly asked the team out and joined the Eagles.
Former Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore also requested a move in October 2022 before ultimately being traded in March 2023.
But it appears to be a broader trend for players to only use their trade desires as leverage for new deals.
That notion is something the 49ers are keenly aware of and why Aiyuk probably won’t play for another team this year.
