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Hours after Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper was part of a trade package the Cleveland Browns offered to the San Francisco 49ers for
Brandon Aiyuk, Cooper posted a cryptic message on his Instagram story.
It read, "lol I wouldn't mind at all."
Given the timing, many—including respected
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com—believe Cooper was responding to the trade report.
Of course, that doesn't matter anymore. Maiocco reports that Aiyuk, uninterested in playing for the Browns, effectively vetoed the trade. The proposed package reportedly included Cooper, a second-round pick, and a fifth-round pick in exchange for Aiyuk. While Aiyuk's contract doesn't include a no-trade clause, the unhappy receiver can derail any trade by refusing to sign a contract extension with a new team, as seems to be the case with Cleveland.
Aiyuk, set to earn $14.124 million on a team-exercised fifth-year option, is seeking a contract to make him one of the NFL's highest-paid players. He has already turned down a reported $32 million-per-year offer from the New England Patriots, who, like the Browns, had a trade framework in place with the 49ers.
The 49ers' last offer to Aiyuk is believed to be in the $26 million annual range, a figure they had not been willing to exceed. However, the team reportedly restarted contract talks with their star receiver this week, potentially reopening the door for Aiyuk to remain in the Bay Area.
After negotiations with the 49ers stalled, Aiyuk requested a trade before reporting to training camp. While he would likely welcome a move to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC team has been unable to present the 49ers with a compelling enough trade package, likely due to their inability or unwillingness to include an immediate-impact player.
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 1 contest against the New York Jets on Monday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Running back Christian McCaffrey remains limited as he works his way back from the calf strain that sidelined him for most of...
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 1 contest against the New York Jets on Monday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Linebacker Dee Winters and defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos continue to work on the side after sustaining injuries during San...
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 1 contest against the New York Jets on Monday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Below are the official injury status reports for the two teams.
San Francisco 49ers
Out
DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), LB Dee...
On Sunday, FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer shared just how close the San Francisco 49ers came to trading wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. According to Glazer, the team was in the final stages of a trade deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the very day Aiyuk signed his contract...