49ers' Aiyuk eyeing extension: 'Trying to get what I deserve'
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk believes he's done enough to warrant a lucrative contract extension.
"I'm trying to get what I deserve," Aiyuk said on the "Nightcap" podcast. "I feel like this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player - what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization, the value I hold when I walk in that building. People gonna follow me because I've done it the right way since I've been in that building."
Aiyuk has been highly productive over the last two seasons and is coming off a career year where he racked up 1,342 receiving yards, 75 catches, and seven touchdowns. His 17.9 yards per reception in 2023 ranked second in the NFL only behind Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens.
The 26-year-old has helped the 49ers offense become one of the league's elite units. Since San Francisco drafted Aiyuk in the first round in 2020, the club ranks fourth in EPA/play and offensive success rate.
Trade rumors have surrounded Aiyuk this offseason, but 49ers general manager John Lynch said earlier this week that "nothing is going on there," according to David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone.
"We're actively talking with Brandon, trying to figure something out," Lynch said. "I always talk - we have a good history of working with the guys we want to get done to get something done, and it takes two sides. So, can we do that? We'll see."
He added, "There's a number of different directions that it could go, but we appreciate the heck out of Brandon and who he is as a player. We want him to be a part of the Niners, so we're going to work towards making that a reality."
The 49ers' cap situation isn't ideal for a player aiming for a long-term extension. They currently have $7.5 million in cap space, according to Spotrac, but are projected to be $23.8 million above the cap limit in 2025, per Over The Cap. Quarterback Brock Purdy is eligible for an extension next offseason.
Aiyuk has 3,931 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns in 62 career games.