Brandon Aiyuk had an excellent run as a San Francisco 49er.
But this run involves an end at the tip of the season.
You can blame the Dallas Cowboys for this.
In a fit of desperation, the Niners' rivals signed All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a market-shattering four-year, $136 million contract in late August, which is claimed to incorporate $100 million in guarantees.
It's an absurd deal for a receiver who takes most of his snaps from the slot, but what's latest about it? The entire offseason was marked by a series of absurd deals for wide receivers – even those that don't actually play wide out.
Lamb's latest contract is clearly excellent news for Aiyuk, who actually plays out of the lineups. The price of Aiyuk's services under a brand new contract increased significantly on Monday.
So unless the Niners wide receiver changes his mind and is willing to take a major discount to remain within the Bay, he's sure to get a nine-figure contract with guarantees barely below that.
But he won't get that deal from the 49ers.
San Francisco simply cannot afford to maintain up with inflation within the wide receiver market.
Not in the event that they pay top fees to Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Javon Hargrave and shortly Trent Williams.
Not if their quarterback can sign a brand new contract in a couple of months that may pay him over $60 million per season.
Since the 49ers have been without an expensive quarterback for the past few seasons, the salary cap has not been a difficulty.
But now it's an issue. Just ask Arik Armstead, who now plays for the Jaguars, or Kyle Juszczyk, who took a pay cut to remain on the team.
The Niners are already $38 million over the 2025 salary cap, and that was before Aiyuk's market price rose by about 40 percent in recent months.
In short, the 49ers can't afford to proceed spending as much money as they’ve over the past 4 years, and Aiyuk will likely be the subsequent player to go given the absurd explosion of the wide receiver market. While he's an impressive player, he's also a luxury the Niners can not afford.
The Lamb contract brings the Niners and Aiyuk almost back to square one in negotiations. The last six months have been an enormous waste of time.
The Niners' offers – which Aiyuk and his representatives already (rightly) consider too low – at the moment are not even competitive. Even if Aiyuk were willing to fulfill the Niners halfway on a brand new contract, that may still be too far for the 49ers.
Here's what I feel will occur next: Aiyuk exercises his five-year option in 2024.
Then the 49ers will give Aiyuk a non-exclusive franchise tag at the tip of the season, no matter whether he has an All-Pro season or a less impressive one.
With this tag, Aiyuk can hit the open market as a free agent, however the Niners will have the option to beat any offer Aiyuk signs.
They is not going to match.
But the foundations state that if the Niners forego taking up Aiyuk's contract, they will likely be compensated with two first-round picks by the team that signs the receiver. As the last six months have shown, nobody is definitely going to provide up two first-round picks for Aiyuk. (He's no Trey Lance, in spite of everything.)
But the label will pave the best way for sensible trade.
Whatever the Niners can get for Aiyuk today – reportedly a Day 2 and Day 3 pick from the Steelers – will still be available for somebody to select from in February and March.
Play with him, tag him and trade with him.
It is the one option the Niners reasonably have left.
And while that was probably the case on Friday, there's no denying it on Monday because of the Cowboys.
Originally published:
image credit : www.mercurynews.com