The San Francisco 49ers had an unofficial trade deadline for star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. It will now be harder for them to move Aiyuk due to a provision in his contract.
Aiyuk had his option-bonus guarantee of $22.85 million kick in Tuesday. That means the 49ers now owe him even more money as a part of the four-year, $120 million contract he signed prior to the start of last season — $45 million of which was already guaranteed at signing.
The 49ers will be on the hook for that $22.855 million no matter what, even if they trade him later in the offseason. The 49ers can, however, prorate the cap hit for that bonus across five seasons, including the void years that are tacked onto the end of Aiyuk’s deal.
Regardless, San Francisco has to monitor the status of Aiyuk’s ACL and MCL injury, as he tore the ligaments last October. Aiyuk’s status for Week 1 of the 2025 season is to be determined, as there is no concrete timetable for him to return.
Assuming Aiyuk remains in San Francisco, he’ll be the No. 1 option after the team dealt Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders this offseason. The 49ers also have Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall to get wide receiver targets, but the lion’s share of the targers would go to Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle.
The trade market for Aiyuk will likely pick up steam ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, but 49ers general manager John Lynch expects Aiyuk to stick around for 2025.
“There are no regrets,” Lynch said from the NFL Annual Meeting in Florida (via NBC Sports Bay Area). “We love Brandon Aiyuk as a football player. We did when we drafted him. We’re excited to move forward with him.”
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