There has been a ton of wide receiver drama in the NFL this offseason, with three superstar names finding themselves in tense negotiations on a new deal with their current teams: Brandon Aiyuk, Ja’Marr Chase, and CeeDee Lamb. While Chase’s situation has yet to be resolved and Lamb has already signed a new deal to remain in Dallas, on Thursday evening, we finally got a resolution in the Aiyuk saga that will keep him in San Francisco.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Aiyuk and the 49ers agreed to a 4-year contract extension that will pay him $120, with his $30 million AAV putting him among the elite in the NFL for his position — tied with Tyreek Hill for the fifth highest AAV.
Aiyuk wanted to sign a new deal this offseason, but the defending NFC champions worked on paying him while simultaneously looking around to see if they could figure out a trade — the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers were two of the teams that were heavily linked to the second-team All-Pro selection, who requested a move to a place that would pay him earlier this year. Ultimately, San Francisco was able to get something done, which theoretically lets them turn their focus to arguably their best player, as star tackle Trent Williams is holding out in search of a new contract.
Aiyuk had a career year in 2023, as he caught 75 balls for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which led the team.