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 recent social media activity as a clear indicator of dissatisfaction.
"Obviously, Brandon Aiyuk wants a contract extension, deserves a contract extension," Rapoport said Monday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access."
The insider also pointed out that Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith's recent three-year contract extension, averaging $25 million annually, establishes a baseline for Aiyuk's potential deal.
While there have been trade rumors this offseason, the 49ers have denied that any serious discussions have taken place. At least, that was the case last month.
"I promise you, nothing's going on there," general manager John Lynch affirmed.
Rapoport mentioned that Aiyuk's agent, Ryan Williams, shot down a sketchy rumor over the weekend stating that the receiver had requested a trade.
"Obviously, there have been some teams, though, who know that all is not well, who know that he wants a contract extension, some receiver-needy teams who have inquired over the course of the last several months to see [if he could] be available," Rapoport shared. "To my knowledge, the 49ers have not entertained any of those talks. But until and unless an extension gets done, that is going to persist.
"So, we will continue to wait for Brandon Aiyuk to get paid, as he so richly deserves, and to see whether or not he decides to hit that follow-back button."
Next week's draft presents a pivotal moment in the talks between Aiyuk and the 49ers. If he remains on the roster after the draft, it signals the team's confidence in reaching a deal. After all, trading Aiyuk for future draft picks wouldn't benefit the 49ers this year.
Aiyuk is set to earn $14.124 million on a team-exercised fifth-year option in 2024. Naturally, both parties prefer to reach a long-term agreement before the receiver retakes the football field. Would Aiyuk consider playing under the fifth-year option?
"We'll see. You'd have to ask him that," Lynch told reporters.
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