San Francisco request Brandon Aiyuk return to practice despite contract drama, per report

Despite the NFL season kicking off in less than two weeks — San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has not practiced for the team amid the ongoing dispute over a long-term deal with the team.

49ers GM John Lynch said on Wednesday that “at some point, you’ve got to play,” regarding the Aiyuk situation.

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As of Wednesday, the 49ers kick off their regular season in just 12 days — and was not present at the start of practice according to a report from The Athletic’s David Lombardi. However, it appears that Lynch and the San Francisco brass expect Aiyuk to be on the field sooner rather than later.

Aiyuk figures to be the focal point of the 49ers wide receiving corps upon his return in 2024. Last season, he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and scored seven touchdowns. With his second 1,000-yard receiving season in a row, the 49ers wideout believes he’s done enough to earn his contract extension whether it’s in San Francisco or elsewhere.

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At one time, it appeared as if the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like a likely landing spot for the Pro Bowl receiver. However, the 49ers reportedly were not satisfied with what the Steelers had to offer them, either, which has sent those sides back to the drawing board. For now, it seems as though Aiyuk will continue to put up big numbers in San Francisco once he returns to the field.

Whether he’ll be on the field in time for the Monday Night Football opener against the New York Jets remains to be seen. However, it appears Lynch and company expect him to play whether he’s on his fifth-year option or on a shiny new deal.

According to recent reports, Aiyuk and the 49ers have been making progress toward a long-term deal.

“They are hopeful that they can get a deal done,” Fowler said on SportsCenter on Saturday. “Pittsburgh remains on standby. They would like to trade for Brandon Aiyuk. They have parameters in place, but trade talks, I’m told over the last week, have been pretty quiet. The people I’ve talked to who thought maybe this was a coin flip a week ago believe that San Francisco probably has a slight edge, maybe 60-40, something like that.

“Executives I’ve talked to around the league do expect the 49ers to end up signing up to an extension that might be in that $30 million per year range, maybe slightly less.”