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A handful of teams were reportedly interested in San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk before the NFL draft.
Among those teams were the New England Patriots, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. According to Florio, the Patriots offered a second-round pick for Aiyuk, though that wasn’t enough for the 49ers to deal him.
Florio also mentioned that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders were interested in Aiyuk before the draft, and potentially are still eyeing him.
The report comes after Aiyuk’s recent trade request from the 49ers. Aiyuk is set to play on the final year of his rookie contract in 2024, but wants a lucrative extension, so much so that he’s willing to get it from another team.
The two sides have reportedly had “good” meetings this offseason, but none have resulted in the deal he is searching for.
Florio noted that before the draft, five teams were prepared to offer Aiyuk up to $28 million, though that number could increase now that several wide receivers have received lofty extensions this offseason.
It’s unclear whether San Francisco is prepared to give him the extension he wants, but the contract negotiations have lasted all summer and could begin taking a major toll as training camp begins.
The 49ers are just over a week away from the start of training camp, and all signs point to Aiyuk holding out over his extension. If that holdout extends into the regular season, it could cost San Francisco some wins.
Aiyuk led the team in receiving yards last season with 1,342 yards and was tied for the most receiving touchdowns with seven. At just 26 years old, he’s likely due for another big year, and the 49ers hope it will be while he’s playing for them.
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