Several reports have suggested that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk wants to stay with the San Francisco 49ers, who selected him with the No. 25 overall pick in 2020. He also wants to be paid like one of the NFL's top receivers, creating a standoff between player and team that has dominated headlines all offseason.
Aiyuk's appearance at Wednesday's practice was noteworthy, as the receiver hadn't been seen on the field for weeks. Aiyuk has refused to practice until his contract status is resolved to his satisfaction. With trade rumors swirling, all eyes were on him as reporters evaluated what his presence might mean.
Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group offered a positive report, stating that Aiyuk looked like part of the team despite not participating in practice. Inman noted that Aiyuk started the session about 50 yards away, but as red zone drills commenced, he took a more active role.
"And then you started seeing the interaction among teammates," Inman said on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "Even [GM] John Lynch came by and shook his hand and patted him on the back."
It's important not to read too much into that. The last time Aiyuk was seen interacting with Lynch on the practice field was on July 31, when his lively greetings with Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan caused significant media buzz.
"It's almost like it was the status quo, but at the same time, just watching Brandon and how he paid attention to practice, he was invested," Inman continued. "He was paying attention to every single play and looked very much a part of this team, and it's just a matter of getting this contract resolved. Whereas, a day ago, there were reports that, okay, they've agreed to a package to trade him to Pittsburgh. But here, he shows up wearing a red shirt and black shorts."
While this isn't the biggest Aiyuk update, it might be a positive sign that the player still feels like part of the organization, potentially signaling that he hopes a deal can be finalized.
Aiyuk requested a trade before reporting to training camp, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been actively trying to acquire him. San Francisco restarted negotiations with Aiyuk last week, and both teams reportedly have contract offers on the table.
"I think the Niners believe, from my understanding, is that they actually offered him a better contract than what Pittsburgh offered him," Inman added. "But they still are kind of curious why he would want to go to Pittsburgh. Does he want to go to Pittsburgh, or was that merely a leverage play to get more money out of the Niners and push their hands?"