Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Rosenthal: 49ers rookie Brandon Aiyuk among NFL players with most work to do before kickoff
Aug 14, 2020 at 1:20 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Media named 13 individuals (not players because there were some coaches on the list) who have the most work to do before the NFL kicks off the 2020 season. One San Francisco 49ers player — rookie wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk — made it onto the list.
"
Deebo Samuel's foot injury sped up Aiyuk's timeline to produce," explains Rosenthal. "The first-round pick is a YAC monster who is expected to take Jimmy Garoppolo's short passes a long way. Kendrick Bourne is the best healthy returning receiver in a quietly underwhelming group, making Aiyuk's quick transition crucial to the 49ers' success. If you are looking for reasons the 49ers could regress, start with the receivers before heading to the secondary."
YAC monster indeed. Aiyuk averaging 10.9 yards after the catch at Arizona State in 2019,
according to Pro Football Focus. Shanahan was probably salivating at what he could do with both Aiyuk and Samuel lining up at the same time on the football field. That may have to wait. Although, Samuel
might tell you otherwise.
Aiyuk didn't have the benefit of an entire offseason of face-to-face learning and chemistry-building on the practice field. There is a lot of pressure on him to pick things up quickly and make an immediate impact as a pass-catcher.
The 49ers also have two receivers working their way back to the lineup after missing all of last season with injuries.
Trent Taylor (foot) was developing into one of Jimmy Garoppolo's favorite offseason targets before his injury sidelined him. The 6-foot-5 Jalen Hurd (back) missed his rookie campaign and will bring some much-needed size to the 49ers receiver group.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
NFL insider states the obvious regarding 49ers' talks with Brandon Aiyuk
ESPN insider Adam Schefter recently shared his insights on the situation surrounding San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk during an appearance on the network's "NFL Live" show. Schefter clarified that while Aiyuk would like to remain with the 49ers, his priority is securing a contract that reflects his value, regardless of the team.
When questioned about Aiyuk's desire to stay with the team that selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Schefter responded, "Well, I think his desire to get paid is greater than his desire to stay in San Francisco, wherever that is. If the 49ers want to pay him, I'm sure he'd love to stay in San Francisco. If another team would like to pay him, I'm sure he'd like to go
Insider believes 49ers are letting Brandon Aiyuk gauge interest around the NFL
If the San Francisco 49ers decide to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, it's likely to occur within the next four days—before or during Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite some unconfirmed rumors, there has been no concrete indication that a trade is imminent. Previously, the 49ers had expressed a desire to retain Aiyuk for the foreseeable future.
Aiyuk's agent, Ryan Williams, has swiftly refuted rumors, including one alleging that the receiver had requested a trade, claiming that the Pittsburgh Steelers were "aggressively pursuing" the receiver.
While no official trade request
Former NFL WR: Brandon Aiyuk told me he doesn't want to leave 49ers
Former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh claims to have recently spoken to Brandon Aiyuk, stating that the star player has no desire to leave the San Francisco 49ers.
Aiyuk and the 49ers are currently negotiating a contract extension, aiming to finalize a new deal. Of course, that hasn't prevented significant media speculation surrounding Aiyuk's future, with many wondering if the delay might hint at a potential trade.
Well-informed 49ers fans know that the team typically finalizes its significant contract extensions closer to training camp, as seen with George Kittle in 2020, Fred Warner in 2021, and Deebo Samuel in 2022. Last year, negotiations with Nick Bosa concluded just days before Week
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
