On Monday, general manager John Lynch held his annual pre-draft press conference, addressing the Aiyuk situation without revealing any information on the conversations that have taken place behind closed doors. Once again, he emphasized that the 49ers want Aiyuk to remain with the team for the remainder of his career.
When asked if there was a chance Aiyuk might not be on the 49ers roster come Friday morning, after the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is in the books, Lynch responded, "I wouldn't anticipate that."
Lynch wanted to clarify that nothing has changed since he stated that signing Aiyuk to a contract extension is the priority. It would likely take a significant offer to convince the 49ers to part ways with the ascending player.
"I've communicated on a couple of occasions, on many occasions, our wish," Lynch said. "And our wish is that he's here and a part of the Niners for the rest of his career. We're working through that."
Aiyuk is currently away from his teammates, most of whom are in Santa Clara. The 49ers kicked off their offseason program last week, but everything until the mandatory minicamp in early June is voluntary.
Lynch added that the two sides are having "good talks" and wanted to leave it at that. However, that didn't prevent further questions about the star receiver from being asked.
Addressing the reports that the 49ers have received calls from teams interested in Aiyuk, Lynch responded, "Yeah, sure. We receive calls about a lot of players."
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently suggested that the 49ers might have given Aiyuk's representatives permission to gauge interest around the league. Lynch didn't want to comment on that report, simply stating, "I'm not going to get into all those details. We're really focused on B.A. being part of us. He's under contract, and we're looking forward to that."
The 49ers typically finalize their bigger contract extensions closer to training camp. Last year, defensive end Nick Bosa's deal wasn't finalized until just days before the start of the regular season. That provided a valuable lesson to Lynch and his staff.
"Human nature is that deadlines force these things," Lynch said. "But I think you can always learn from situations, and you'd be a fool not to. I'd like to have our business tidied up [earlier]. Those things, they ran the course they needed to, and I'm proud of our record of getting the guys we want to get done, done. But I'm right there with everyone else. I'd sure like it to happen sooner."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers rally around George Kittle in playoff win over Eagles: 'We're going to play for him the rest of the way'
The San Francisco 49ers could have let George Kittle's second-quarter injury derail their Wild Card playoff matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Instead, they rallied around their All-Pro tight end, fought through adversity, and pulled off a 23-19 road upset to... -
These 7 49ers players are inactive vs. Eagles
The San Francisco 49ers have released the list of inactive players for their Wild Card playoff matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. These seven players will not suit up for the game. Inactives: LB Luke Gifford (quadricep) DL Kevin Givens RB Isaac Guerendo CB Chase... -
49ers clear on Fred Warner's status for Seahawks playoff game, plus other injury updates
The San Francisco 49ers suffered a significant blow during Sunday's Wild Card playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles, losing a key piece of their offense in the process. Star tight end George Kittle tore his Achilles in the first half, an injury that will require a lengthy... -
San Francisco 49ers opponents for 2026 season announced
The 2026 opponents for the San Francisco 49ers have been announced. The 49ers finished third in the NFC West and will play a third-place schedule next season. The 49ers will have nine home games and will go on the road eight times. Here are the 2026 opponents: Home Las Vegas...