Brandon Aiyuk still believes it's likely he's in a 'Niners uniform' in 2024 despite stalled contract talks

A lot of noise has been made recently over Brandon Aiyuk‘s future with the San Francisco 49ers, with the wide receiver occasionally conveying his unhappiness with the lack of progress in contract talks.

Nevertheless, speaking on The Pivot podcast earlier this week, Aiyuk indicated that he still believes he’ll be wearing red and gold this fall — although he did discuss possible trade suitors should things not work out.

Aiyuk responded to a question about his jersey for the upcoming season by saying, “My guess would be a Niners uniform.” He added, “If not the Niners, then likely the Washington Commanders. If not them, then possibly the Steelers.”

Trade talks swirled around Aiyuk heading into this year’s NFL draft, as the wide receiver is entering the last year of his rookie contract and is slated to be paid significantly below what is considered the correct value equivalent to his contributions to the team.

While Aiyuk was not dealt — even as San Francisco drafted another WR in Ricky Pearsall — discussion on his future continued with Pittsburgh often mentioned as a potential destination. Aiyuk fanned the flames by posting a video of him talking to Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, saying, “(the 49ers) said they don’t want me back.”

Aiyuk, when questioned about the video, provided clarity on what was specifically said in the meeting that elicited his reaction.

“They informed me that they didn’t believe we were aligned in our thoughts and they doubted we would be,” he expanded on the situation. “However, this is just part of the negotiations process; a tactic to influence outcomes in either direction. Whether that’s entirely accurate or not, is yet to be determined.”

The main motivation behind Aiyuk’s potential interest in joining Washington is his friendship with Daniels, a former teammate from Arizona State who was present during the podcast recording. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has been mentioned as another possible destination for him, given their lack of depth in the wide receiver position.

Aiyuk has made it clear that, despite the ongoing inability of the sides to reach an agreement and his candidness about his preferred teams in the event of a trade, he still wants to remain with the 49ers. He remains hopeful that a deal can be reached between the parties.

“He said, “I believe I’m currently in the right place, at the right time, with the right quarterback. However, we’re not on good terms.”

Aiyuk mentioned in his interview that he had not been communicating “much at all” for a month. He also noted that he had planned a meeting with the 49ers brass on Monday and commented, “We’ll see how it goes”.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that that meeting had been productive, with both sides agreeing to continue working towards an extension after the Fourth of July holiday.

The question is whether the hope for a resolution can remain solid amidst ongoing discussions. As the saga continues to unfold with the approach of training camp, what could the upcoming chapter bring?