We still don’t know where Brandon Aiyuk will be playing in 2024. But Adam Schefter is offering an indication of when we might find out. Appearing on ESPN during a 27-hour fantasy football marathon Monday night, Schefter believes finality could come this week.
“At some point in time, the 49ers need to get resolution,” Schefter said. “So I would expect this issue to heat up this week at some point in time. Because it’s reached a critical juncture.”
It’s not much information and it’s framed as Schefter’s opinion, not an outright fact or report. But Schefter is as plugged in as anyone and he wouldn’t make that strong of a statement unless he had some insider information.
What that resolution becomes remains a mystery. For over the past week, the 49ers and Aiyuk have been in contract talks as San Francisco tries to hammer out a long-term deal instead of dealing him to Pittsburgh and weakening a roster poised to make another Super Bowl run. The framework of a deal and contract between the Steelers, 49ers, and Aiyuk is reportedly in pace, Pittsburgh just waiting to hear from San Francisco GM John Lynch.
Other reporting indicates the 49ers and Aiyuk are close on a deal with only one obstacle in the way, appearing to be guaranteed money in the last year of his extension. But no deal is finished until it’s done and if the two sides can’t come together, then Pittsburgh would reap the benefit of landing Aiyuk. It would be a massive boost to their passing game in need of a No. 2 wide receiver and missing puzzle piece of their offense opposite George Pickens.
A long-term deal from either team is expected to come in around $28 million per season, putting Aiyuk just outside the range of the top-five paid receivers in football. This is a saga that’s gone on for months, not weeks, with rumors heating up around the draft. Pittsburgh fanned the flames when they created additional cap space ahead of the draft, though no deal was reached.
The story quieted over the spring but picked up in the dead of June, Aiyuk making an appearance on The Pivot podcast where he said he expected to play for the 49ers, Steelers, or Washington Commanders this season. Those choices now seem to be down to San Francisco and Pittsburgh. Hopefully, if the football gods are merciful, we’ll find out by the end of the week.