TRADE ME
San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk reacts to Washington Commanders trade rumors with huge hint he will quit team
Aiyuk has been all over social media about his contract situation
SAN Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk seems to be angling for a trade.
The 49ers wide receiver has been adamant about either receiving a pay raise or a trade away from the team.
4
4
During the NFL Draft, the 49ers had a trade in place to send Aiyuk to the Washington Commanders but ultimately decided against it, according to Adam Schefter on ESPN's NFL Live.
Aiyuk took to social media to react to those reports with a cryptic Instagram comment.
"But I thought the niners was never tryna trade me?" he wrote.
Niners general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan had both previously admitted to shopping Aiyuk, but never indicated any sort of deal was close.
Read more on the NFL
The indecisiveness is clearly upsetting the star wide receiver, as he was recently seen on an Instagram live with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels talking about the situation.
"They said they don't want me back," Aiyuk said in the video.
It isn't clear whether he was saying the 49ers want to trade him or whether they aren't going to resign him, but Aiyuk appeared fed up.
ESPN's Ryan Clark revealed some information on NFL Live about a meeting that Aiyuk called for with the 49ers about his contract situation.
Most read in American Football
"Brandon Aiyuk told us that he wanted to set this meeting up himself," Clark said.
"And when he was sitting with [us], he said that he's taking these negotiations personal.
I’m an NFL quarterback who played in Super Bowl – now I’m going on a road trip in a tractor with my teammate
"The way that they have negotiated with him, the way that they have told him why he's worth what he's worth, it has touched him. It has affected him.
"He says he wants to be in San Francisco first but is comfortable playing elsewhere if that's something that the San Francisco 49ers are willing to do via trade.
"And I will tell you this -- when he sat with us, he did not walk into the room alone. First, it was Brandon Aiyuk. Second, it was Jayden Daniels.
"I'm not a tea leaf reader, but it seems like Aiyuk wouldn't mind playing in Washington."
4
It isn't hard to understand why Aiyuk is frustrated with his team.
Last year he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, cementing himself as a top wide receiver in the NFL.
In four seasons he has 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns, and still has not secured another contract.
Aiyuk is playing on his fifth-year option which will pay him just $14 million in 2024.
Read More on The US Sun
In comparison, Jaylen Waddle just signed a $85 million extension and has been in the NFL for a year less than Aiyuk.
It seems unlikely that the 49ers would let him walk away without getting anything in return, so if a contract extension isn't worked out, Aiyuk likely will be traded before the deadline this season.
4