"Aiyuk's a phenomenal football player who's a big part of our offense, and he's one of the most complete receivers that I've ever played with," Kittle shared with Rich Eisen. "So I'm gonna assume that Aiyuk's gonna be on our team by the time the season starts."
Aiyuk and his veteran teammates are expected to report to training camp on July 23, giving the 49ers less than two weeks to finalize a deal if they hope to have their star wideout ready from day one. It's unclear if any further progress has been made in the negotiations, which reportedly remain stalled.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport joined NFL Network's "The Insiders," highlighting the urgency for the 49ers and Aiyuk to get a deal done.
"Brandon Aiyuk, who is an awesome player, has done a great job of getting everybody talking during the very slow time," Rapoport said.
He added, "What is facts though, is that Brandon Aiyuk, who for sure deserves a huge contract extension, does not have one yet. And really, it makes you wonder as well, is he going to step on the field without a new deal? This market has defined itself very well. The fact that he does not have a deal done, the clock is ticking on him."
Aiyuk recently sparked social media discussion by sharing a photo of Washington Commanders practice film, suggesting he wouldn't mind a trade that would reunite him with former Arizona State teammate and friend, quarterback Jayden Daniels. This raised questions about who sent him the practice film.
"First of all, you can't do that," Rapoport stated. "Second of all, it's not happening. It sounds more likely here, FaceTime with Jayden Daniels, practice film came up, took a little screenshot, boom, posted it, and there's your storyline."