49ers sign Brandon Aiyuk to a 4-year, $120 million deal

The lengthy contract dispute between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has finally come to an end. The two sides have reportedly agreed on a contract extension, concluding months of negotiations and drama. Aiyuk is set to sign a four-year, $120 million deal, with $76 million guaranteed, ensuring his presence on the field for the Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets and securing his future in red and gold.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reports that the deal is front-loaded, so we'll need to wait for the details to see how it affects the 49ers' salary cap situation. According to Rapoport, Aiyuk will receive $47 million between now and April 1, 2025.

Fact check: The contract details have been released. While the upfront money to Aiyuk is significant, the salary cap hit through 2026 is much lower compared to the final years of the deal.

The move comes after Aiyuk requested a trade on July 16. This latest contract resolution follows the 49ers' signings of wide receiver Jauan Jennings and running back Christian McCaffrey to contract extensions. Jennings' deal keeps him with the team through the 2025 season, while McCaffrey is under contract through 2027.

This leaves tackle Trent Williams as the lone unresolved contract situation. The offensive lineman is holding out from training camp as he seeks a contract restructure. Williams has no guaranteed money remaining on his existing deal.

Aiyuk reported to training camp with the rest of his teammates but has not been participating in practices, essentially "holding in" as negotiations continued.

Several teams, including the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and Pittsburgh Steelers, recently engaged in trade talks with the 49ers. However, negotiations fell through due to either insufficient compensation or Aiyuk's reluctance to sign a contract extension with the interested team.

Aiyuk was previously slated to play under the team-exercised fifth-year option, which would have paid the receiver $14.124 million in 2024. In March, Aiyuk stated, "I'm trying to get what I deserve. ... We got professionals working on both sides, so hopefully, we can come to a professional agreement to continue playing professional football."

Aiyuk sparked significant speculation about his status by posting a video of a conversation with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, a former Arizona State teammate, in which he said, "They said they don't want me back ... I swear."

The 49ers reopened negotiations with Aiyuk, aiming to reach a long-term agreement. Reports indicated that an offer was on the table, along with a trade deal with the Steelers, leaving the decision up to Aiyuk. This deal from San Francisco is reportedly the one that Aiyuk finally agreed to.

Throughout the negotiation process, the 49ers emphasized their desire to keep Aiyuk on the roster, aiming to maintain their Super Bowl-contending team for another championship run.

San Francisco drafted Aiyuk (6-0, 200) out of Arizona State with the No. 25 overall pick in 2020. In 16 starts with the 49ers last season, he recorded 75 receptions for a career-high and team-leading 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.

With 1,015 receiving yards in 2022, Aiyuk has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in two consecutive seasons, becoming the first 49ers wide receiver to do so since Anquan Boldin in 2013 and 2014. He is also the first 49ers player to accomplish the feat since tight end George Kittle in 2018 and 2019.

Speaking to reporters at the start of training camp, general manager John Lynch stated that the 49ers intend to keep Aiyuk in red and gold, saying, "We fully intend on Brandon being a Niner moving forward. We're always open to listen to things, but we expect Brandon to be an integral part of our team like he has been."

The new deal ensures Aiyuk remains paired with third-year quarterback Brock Purdy. The duo displayed remarkable chemistry last season, with Purdy throwing for a single-season franchise record 4,280 passing yards.

In March, head coach Kyle Shanahan emphasized the importance of keeping the two players together, saying, "That's huge. I mean, it's hard to be successful at quarterback if you don't have real good receivers. So it starts there with Brandon, and I think that's real big for Brock in his future, making sure we got a good group for him going forward."

Aiyuk, 26, has caught 269 passes for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 62 game appearances (60 starts) throughout his four NFL seasons. Additionally, he has contributed 117 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 13 carries.