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The situation between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers doesn't seem to be getting any easier. With the wide receiver entering the fifth year of his rookie contract and no deal in sight, it looks like the relationship is melting, and it's unclear whether there's any turn back on this.
General manager John Lynch spoke on Monday about how the team would be comfortable with Aiyuk playing under the fifth-year option if no deal is reached before the start of the season. He also ponted out that any trade talks were just rumors and that he wants the player to remain with the franchise.
However, a few hours later, Brandon Aiyuk took to Instagram and posted some cryptic emojis in response to Lynch's comments. You can probably guess what he's talking about based on the emojis and the situation.
Brandon Aiyuk vs. 49ers: Should fans be concerned?
When you look at the salary cap situation of the team, it's understandable why they're wary of making any long-term commitment to Aiyuk. The San Francisco 49ers are $15 million over the 2025 cap, and there's no guarantee that the wide receiver would accept his contract to be backloaded.
We have seen plenty of wide receiver trades in the last two years and the reason is simple: you either pay your quarterback or your wide receiver. It's no surprise that names like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown got moved in 2022: you don't want to use such a huge portion of the cap for two players alone.
So, yes, fans should be concerned. Brandon Aiyuk ascended to the condition of number one receiver on the team, making plays with his speed, agility and underrated route-running.
Losing him would be a massive problem - especially because Deebo Samuel isn't as good as he is and wouldn't be able to handle WR1 duties. There's no guarantee that a trade is coming, but the lack of an extension at this point isn't a great sign as well. At the end of the day, the only available thing to do is to wait.
