The San Francisco 49ers have a significant decision to make on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has improved his receiving yardage each season. Unfortunately for the NFC champs, they’re hearing the constant chatter of 2023 second-team All-Pro becoming trade material.
Aiyuk is heading toward the final year of his contract and is set to become a 2025 free agent. But teammate Deebo Samuel doesn’t see Aiyuk going anywhere.
Deebo Samuel Blasts Brandon Aiyuk Trade Chatter
Appearing Tuesday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams, Samuel, an All-Pro wideout in his own right, ripped the idea of seeing the 49ers deal away his teammate.
“I love that guy. I don’t see him leaving,” Samuel told Adams.
Aiyuk has been rumored to be a potential trade target, given the 49ers’ current salary cap state. As of this writing, San Francisco is currently in the red. They’re facing an offseason where deals are inevitably going to be restructured to give the team some financial breathing room.
A 2020 first-round pick, Aiyuk currently carries a $14 million cap hit. The team picked up his fifth-year option last offseason following his first-ever 1,000-yard campaign in 2022.
As for base salary, Aiyuk is set to make $14,124,000 for 2024 before officially becoming a free agent after his current rookie deal expires.
Samuel Believes Aiyuk Deserves a New Deal
Samuel has witnessed significant growth from the wideout with whom he’s been teammates since Aiyuk was drafted out of Arizona State in 2020.
As Samuel has become a versatile Swiss Army knife option for the 49ers as a running and receiving threat, Aiyuk has emerged as a strong downfield presence in the team’s aerial attack.
Things started off rocky at first for the No. 25 overall pick. Aiyuk found himself in the Kyle Shanahan doghouse for his lack of progression and production over his first two seasons — which saw no more than 60 receptions hauled in each year. Aiyuk, though, has since become one of the NFL’s brightest young pass catchers.
He’s snatched 75 or more passes in each of his last two seasons while crossing over the century mark. His touchdown totals have also risen — combining for 15 over the last two seasons after settling for only five receiving scores in each of his rookie and sophomore campaigns.
Samuel, who was once considered the top WR1 for the 49ers, has seen the emergence of Aiyuk in recent years.
“The season that he just came off of, and the season’s previous [totals], I mean if you look at his numbers from when he got to the league to now, it’s a different type of leap,” Samuel said.
Even Samuel himself believes Aiyuk is deserving of a new contract with the 49ers.
“Like I told him, ‘Hey man, you put yourself in a position to be where you want to be — and he’s up for a new deal,” Samuel noted.
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Samuel knows this situation very well, as he was up for a new blockbuster contract following his breakout 2021 season. And as Samuel knows, those talks were very lengthy and included some trade chatter. Ultimately, the 49ers locked in Samuel ahead of the 2022 training camp period. Samuel sent Aiyuk some advice regarding that subject.
“I told him because I’ve been through it: It’s not going to be all fine and dandy like you think it’s going to be,” Samuel said. “You just got to stay the course. And you’ve done everything possible to be in the position you’re in. Just let everything play out.”
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