Brandon Aiyuk

The New England Patriots didn't spare a penny in pursuit of Brandon Aiyuk.

The San Francisco 49ers had the "framework of a trade" done with the Patriots, but Aiyuk rejected New England's contract offer, which stopped any momentum.

During an appearance on NBC Sports Boston's Sports Sunday, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that the Patriots' contract offers to the wideout were the "strongest monetary offers in just about every way."

Aiyuk would end up signing a four-year, $120 million extension to stay with the 49ers. The Patriots were rumored to be offering a deal with more than $32 million per year.

Aiyuk wanted to get paid this offseason, and his production made him quite the candidate to get a deal he desired.

He made 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns for San Francisco in 2023, earning second-team All-Pro honors. This helped the team go 12-5 and advance to Super Bowl LVIII.

Aiyuk will get the chance to replicate this performance as one of the key cogs of San Francisco's loaded roster. He would have entered a much different situation in New England.

The Patriots went 4-13 in 2023 and missed the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons. Their leading receiver, DeMario Douglas, had just 561 yards, and the quarterback tandem of Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe combined for more interceptions than touchdowns.

Jones, Zappe and longtime head coach Bill Belichick are no longer with the franchise, but the outlook does not look much better this year. Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, will start the season on the bench while veteran Jacoby Brissett handles starting quarterback duties.

With an unproven roster and a poor track record in recent seasons, the situation in New England was uncertain enough for Aiyuk to turn down dollars in exchange for stability and success on the field.

The full details of Brandon Aiyuk's four-year, $120 million contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers were reported on Friday.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, $11 million of Aiyuk's $23 million signing bonus will be paid "within two weeks" and the rest will be paid out with his $1.125 million 2024 base salary. He also has a $22.855 million option bonus in 2025.

Per Florio, Aiyuk will earn $100,000 workout bonuses and $750,000 per-game roster bonuses in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. Both types of bonuses are guaranteed for injury and will be fully guaranteed on April 1, 2025.

He'll also carry base salaries of $1.17 million in 2025, $1.215 million in 2026, $27.274 million in 2027 and $29.15 million in 2028.

The guarantee at signing is $45 million, with the practical guarantee worth $76 million after the bonuses. The 49ers are also able to get out of the deal after three years and $76 million has been paid, as the contract is yearly after that timeline (via Florio).

Aiyuk is now the fifth-highest paid receiver in the NFL following Thursday's agreement, per Spotrac.

Negotiations were far from easy, as the 26-year-old wasn't participating in training camp as he waited for a new deal and even requested a trade in July. However, Aiyuk and 49ers general manager John Lynch were able to work out a new contract without a change of scenery needed for the wideout.

Aiyuk is coming off an impressive 2023 campaign, hauling in 75 catches on 105 targets for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.

As San Francisco attempts to bounce back after a loss in Super Bowl 58, one of quarterback Brock Purdy's favorite targets secured his long-term future with the team.

The San Francisco 49ers might never have extended wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had the team been able to arrange a trade for Denver Broncos wideout Courtland Sutton, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

The 49ers offered a third-round pick in exchange for Sutton prior to signing Aiyuk, Russini reported.

Had the Broncos accepted, the Niners would have traded Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Russini.

The 49ers agreed to four-year, $120 million extension for Aiyuk after he missed training camp and the preseason amid a hold-in for a new deal, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Thursday.

Aiyuk led all 49ers receivers with 1,342 yards on 105 targets last season. The team would have needed to replace him as a top target for quarterback Brock Purdy were they to move on.

Sutton similarly led the Broncos in receiving yards with 772 last season as an option for Russell Wilson. In San Francisco, however, that total would have ranked him fourth behind Aiyuk, All-Pro tight end George Kittle and receiver Deebo Samuel.

Having not topped 1,000 receiving yards since tearing his ACL in 2020, Sutton would likely not have been as productive an option as Aiyuk.

His salary, however, might have helped the 49ers navigate the cap crunch coming up when Purdy becomes extension-eligible following this season. Sutton is signed on for two more seasons, with a cap hit of $17.3 million for 2024, per Spotrac.

Instead the 49ers took on Aiyuk's deal, which at $30 million is tied for the fifth-highest average annual wide receiver salary in the NFL. The breakdown of Aiyuk's contract is not yet clear, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport described the deal as "front-loaded."

NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reported earlier this month that the 49ers had given Aiyuk permission to discussion a new contract with teams including the Steelers, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders. Maiocco noted that Aiyuk considered the Steelers to be "a preferred destination."

Although ESPN's Dan Graziano reported during the 2023 season that the Broncos were willing to listen to offers for Sutton, it seems the 49ers' reported offer of a third-rounder this offseason wasn't enough to sway them this summer.

After signing a massive four-year, $120 million contract on Thursday, San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is drawing comparisons to one of the league's top receivers over the last several years.

Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, one 49ers executive said Aiyuk has the chance to have a career like Las Vegas Raiders star Davante Adams.

"We believe his best football is ahead of him," the executive said. "He's only 26, he's still learning the intricacies of the position. This is an ascending player… There's no reason why he can't have a similar career as a Davante Adams, for example."

Just four years into his career, Aiyuk has had plenty of success, logging 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. Last year, he had a career-high 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

Adams' first season with 1,000-plus receiving yards didn't come until his fifth year in the league, so Aiyuk has done better in that regard thus far.

One thing that has set Adams apart in the league is his touchdown numbers. He's led the league in receiving touchdowns twice and is already 12th all-time in receiving touchdowns with 95.

Aiyuk has yet to surpass 10-plus touchdowns in a single season, but he could start to find the endzone more as he continues to grow as a player.

The 49ers clearly think highly of Aiyuk considering the contract they gave him makes him tied with Tyreek Hill for the fifth-highest paid receiver annually. The only players who will make more than Aiyuk in 2024 will be Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

It took San Francisco most of the offseason to finally find a deal for Aiyuk, but now that the 49ers have extended him, they'll hope his career continues to pan out well.

Teammates support teammates.

The San Francisco 49ers reportedly came to terms with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a four-year, $120 million deal with $76 million guaranteed. Following the news, 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel took to Instagram to share some love for his teammate.

Aiyuk and Samuel are a huge reason the 49ers offense is as dynamic as it is. Aiyuk had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023 while Samuel had 60 catches for 892 yards and seven touchdowns in the passing game and 225 yards with five touchdowns on the ground.

The duo, alongside running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle, form a terrifying offense for opposing defenses. The 49ers went 12-5 in 2023 and reached the Super Bowl.

While Aiyuk could have a slower start due to his hold-in during contract negotiations, it looks like Samuel and his other teammates will pick him up before he gets back into game shape.

The 49ers will open the 2024 season on Sept. 9 against the New York Jets.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans have been getting their hopes up about a trade for Brandon Aiyuk for weeks, but the star wide receiver is staying put.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Thursday that Aiyuk had finally come to an agreement with the San Francisco 49ers after an offseason of contract negotiations. Aiyuk agreed to a four-year deal worth $120 million, ending any speculation about a trade to Pittsburgh.

After the deal was reported, NFL fans mocked the Steelers for failing to land one of the top receivers in the NFL.

The optimism from Steelers fans wasn't unwarranted. As Aiyuk and San Francisco continued to go back and forth on an extension, he began a hold-in and even requested a trade from the team.

The 49ers and Steelers were in trade talks in early August and many signs pointed to him landing in Pittsburgh. Ultimately, San Francisco managed to figure out a deal that was appealing to Aiyuk.

With the new deal, Aiyuk will be tied with Tyreek Hill as the fifth-highest-paid receiver annually at $30 million per year. That number trails just Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, AJ Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The massive contract makes sense after the year Aiyuk had in 2023. He had the seventh-most receiving yards in the league with 1,342 and also brought in seven touchdowns. Now, he'll remain with the 49ers and look to lead them to another Super Bowl appearance.

The stalemate between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is over after the two sides agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract extension, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.

The deal includes $76 million in guarantees. According to Rapoport, Aiyuk will receive $47 million between Thursday and April 1, 2025.

ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported that "Aiyuk accepted the same deal that has been on the table since August. 12, per league sources."

Schefter added: "His hold-in did not alter any part of his new four-year, $120 million extension. He took the same deal that had been there in previous weeks. Hold-in over."

Aiyuk's agent, Ryan Williams, also shared a photo to Instagram of the two on FaceTime after the deal was reported. Williams wrote, "We worked hard for that smile," and tagged the veteran receiver.

"We believe his best football is ahead of him. He's only 26, he's still learning the intricacies of the position. This is an ascending player…," a 49ers executive told NFL insider Jordan Schultz. "There's no reason why he can't have a similar career as a Davante Adams, for example."

Aiyuk made no secret of his desire to get a new deal ahead of the 2024 NFL season and formally requested a trade in July in the absence of a compromise. While he showed up to training camp, the matter remained far from resolved.

The 26-year-old is coming off his best season. He caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023.

That coincided with the continued spike in the receiver market.

The Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, Dallas Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb, Philadelphia Eagles' A.J. Brown and Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown all joined Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill in earning $30-plus million a year this offseason.

Their massive paydays helped the earning power of others at the position. Even if you aren't an elite wideout, your starting price is pretty much $25 million and up now as long as you're a No. 1 option.

Aiyuk understandably wanted to cash in, and he's a player the 49ers could ill afford to lose. Both parties stood to gain something with a new multiyear extension.

Finding a middle ground proved difficult, however.

Schefter speculated on July 17 on NFL Live that San Francisco might see Aiyuk as worth a little less than Dolphins star Jaylen Waddle, who's making $28.3 million annually on his new contract.

The Niners had plenty of leverage, as the franchise tag for a wide receiver is projected to be $24.8 million in 2025, which is below what Aiyuk would be able to command on the open market.

Once training camp rolled around, it looked like the team was content to operate with the 6'0" pass-catcher one year out from free agency.

Negotiations had reportedly come to a halt in May for the most part, and Schefter reported "the 49ers do not want to and do not intend to trade" Aiyuk.

On July 23, general manager John Lynch opted to stay diplomatic.

"We fully intend on Brandon being a Niner moving forward," he told reporters. "We're always open to listen to things, but like I said, we expect Brandon to be an integral part of our team like he has been and excited about that."

Lynch and the front office knew full well that Aiyuk's holdout could only last for so long, and he'd be clearly incentivized to show out on the field if he were still playing on his 2024 option.

But having an openly disgruntled player, especially one as important as the 2020 first-round pick, on the roster is never ideal. Prospective free agents and others on the Niners may have taken notice, too, if the team was perceived as treating Aiyuk unfairly or lowballing him.

While one contractual dispute with a wideout is over for Lynch, another potentially looms on the horizon. Deebo Samuel will be a free agent in 2026, and he was the subject of trade rumors earlier in the offseason.

Having Aiyuk signed long-term could influence how the front office approaches Samuel's future.

The Cleveland Browns offered San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk a larger contract than the 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers did, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"They already were offering more money than Pittsburgh, more money than San Francisco," Schefter said during a Thursday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. "They were offering a lot. That wasn't the issue. The issue simply was that he preferred to go elsewhere."

Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports reported on Aug. 9 that the 49ers and Browns discussed a trade involving Aiyuk following his request to be moved, although Cleveland wasn't one of his preferred locations.

The trade proposal involved Amari Cooper as well as future second- and fifth-round draft picks heading to San Francisco, per Maiocco.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Steelers are "one phone call away" after discussing a trade, although the 49ers are still negotiating a long-term deal with the receiver.

Aiyuk was holding in for a new contract throughout training camp and did not participate in the team's first practice since roster cuts on Wednesday. ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported that the receiver dealt with back and neck issues early in training camp, although 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that he was eventually cleared by doctors.

The 26-year-old is currently set to earn $14.1 million in 2024 before hitting free agency the following offseason.

49ers general manager John Lynch discussed Aiyuk's ongoing absences in practice on Wednesday, telling reporters that "at some point you got to play."

Pressure is rising for both sides, especially after the Dallas Cowboys agreed to a four-year, $136 million contract extension with star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb on Monday. Aiyuk and Lamb were both first-round picks in the 2020 NFL draft.

The 49ers will also likely want to resolve the situation before their Week 1 matchup with the New York Jets on Sept. 9.

As the start of the 2024 NFL regular season approaches, an anonymous agent is questioning San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's approach in terms of trying to land a new contract.

Per The Athletic's Ben Standig, an NFL agent said the following about Aiyuk and his situation on Thursday: "He's handled it horribly, but sometimes you must take your grievances public. Silly, yes, but taking the team name or logo off social media accounts can cause a needed stir."

Aiyuk is set to enter the final year of his contract in 2024, but he has been "holding in," meaning that while he was present for training camp and has attended team meetings, he has not done any on-field work.

When Aiyuk and the Niners were unable to come to terms on a new contract throughout the offseason, he officially requested a trade in July, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner.

ESPN's Mike Reiss and Wagoner later reported that multiple teams expressed interest in acquiring the star wideout, including the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area added that the 49ers had the framework for a trade in place with both the Browns and the Patriots, but nothing has come of those talks yet.

After no official agreement came to pass with the Browns or the Patriots, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler (h/t Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot) said it appeared Aiyuk's options were down to staying in San Francisco or going to Pittsburgh with the 49ers having a slight edge.

Still, there has been no movement regarding a new contract or a trade, so Aiyuk remains in a holding pattern just days before the Niners' regular-season opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 9.

On Wednesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told Wagoner that Aiyuk has been medically cleared to practice, although he still hasn't done so.

General manager John Lynch provided his take on Aiyuk as well, saying: "I'm not going to get into our communication. At some point, you've got to play."

While it remains to be seen if he will get one before the start of the 2024 season, Aiyuk is undoubtedly deserving of a new deal based on his production.

The 26-year-old out of Arizona State has back-to-back years with over 1,000 receiving yards, including a career-high 1,342 last season.

Aiyuk led the 49ers in receiving yards, receptions (75) and receiving touchdowns (seven) last season, and he was a huge reason they reached the Super Bowl.

The 49ers are in a difficult spot since they recently paid big money to Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey, plus All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams wants a new deal in addition to Aiyuk.

It is unclear if the 49ers have the financial means to get a deal done with Aiyuk, but even if they can't, their best chance to contend again in 2024 is with him on the field and as an integral part of the offense.