Aiyuk headlines 49ers’ list of NFL offseason priorities originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — This one might take a while, but the 49ers’ top offseason priority is to sign wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to a long-term contract.
The goal, of course, is to come to an arrangement that makes both sides happy.
But if history is any indicator, it might take a few months of mutual discontent before the sides get to that point.
“You have to prioritize all these things,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Tuesday. “Of course you want a guy like Brandon Aiyuk to be a part of (your team) going forward.”
The 49ers picked up Aiyuk’s fifth-year option a year ago at a one-year, fully guaranteed salary of $14.1 million for the 2024 season.
With a lucrative contract extension that will pay him in excess of $20 million annually, his cap number could actually drop next year due to a smaller base salary coupled with a large chunk of guaranteed money spread out over the life of the deal.
With all their big-money players, the 49ers’ front office faces some challenges.
“(The) team is comprised of guys, veterans who’ve been paid very well, of guys who want to be paid very well,” Lynch said. “We’ve got one guy on our team who is pretty prominent who can’t be paid real well right now because the CBA doesn’t allow it. So it’s all one big puzzle.”
That player is quarterback Brock Purdy, a two-year veteran who is in line to become the highest-paid player on the team a year from now. The 49ers and Purdy’s representation are not allowed to touch his rookie contract until he has finished his third NFL season.
Purdy’s contract situation should make it possible to have another highly compensated player on the payroll.
The 49ers have plenty of experience over the past four years with contract extensions to retain their top players on second contracts, such as George Kittle, Fred Warner, Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa.
Arriving at such a contract for Aiyuk likely…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/aiyuk-headlines-49ers-list-nfl-182811118.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-02-14 18:28:11
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