Hardly a day after the Super Bowl, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk dropped a hint on future plans.
Aiyuk could receive a fifth-year option with the team in 2024, worth $14.12 million per Spotrac. However, his recent Instagram story suggests he may want to move on amid his 4-year, $12.53 million rookie deal and decline the fifth-year option.
“Don’t forget what got you there,” Aiyuk wrote on Instagram.
It came on the heels of his girlfriend Rochelle’s social media video where she alluded to Aiyuk wanting to move on. The 49ers drafted Aiyuk in 2020 with the No. 25 pick out of Arizona State.
“This might have been the last day we touched foot on Levi’s Stadium … because we might not be out here next season,” Rochelle said in the video while at the 49ers’ stadium to meet Aiyuk.
His former junior college teammate, Draysean Hudson, also went to bat for Aiyuk. The two played at Sierra College in 2016.
This just can’t happen. Biggest play of the game and Chris Jones, the best DT in football is left unblocked. If Jones is blocked up, Brandon Aiyuk is wide open for a TD. Jauan Jennings open as well pic.twitter.com/chhd5gTjO0
— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) February 12, 2024
Hudson first piped in about Aiyuk’s targets in the 25-22 Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Aiyuk only had three catches for 49 yards in the overtime defeat.
“Why does your All Pro 1300 yard receiver have 3 catches in the Super Bowl,” Hudson wrote on his Instagram story.
“This is the exact same reason we leaving San Francisco,” Hudson added on Instagram. “Thank you 49ers for drafting my brother we are forever grateful. BA to Vegas.”
Brock Purdy Considers Brandon Aiyuk One of His Favorite Targets
Niners quarterback Brock Purdy went to Aiyuk often throughout the season, and the fourth-year receiver tallied 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Aiyuk earned second team All-Pro honors because of it.
“Yeah, I have all the confidence in the world in B.A.,” Purdy said in a November press conference via Sports Illustrated’s “All 49ers” writer Grant Cohn. “You watch the film, the separation that he creates, you get the ball in his hands, obviously the second gear that he has to pull away from DBs or whoever’s on the field.”
“He does it all. And I think he’s just one of the most underrated receivers I think in the NFL,” Purdy added. We have so many playmakers, like [George] Kittle, [Christian] McCaffrey, Deebo [Samuel], but B.A. and what he’s done in his production as a receiver, he’s got it.”
“And so, I have all the confidence in the world in him and he’s always where he needs to be and as a quarterback that’s all you could ask for,” Purdy concluded.
Niners Super Bowl Window Starts to Close if Brandon Aiyuk Goes
Losing Aiyuk would deal a significant blow to the 49ers’ Super Bowl window.
He went over 1,000 yards the past two seasons, and Aiyuk has averaged 67.3 receptions, 982.7 yards, and 6.3 touchdowns per season throughout his young career. San Francisco will be hard-pressed to replace that production through the draft or a bargain free agent.
However, San Francisco doesn’t have great salary cap space to keep him amid $570,837 available per Spotrac. In addition, Aiyuk would become a free agent in 2025 after his fifth-year option, and Spotrac already projects him for $22.9 million annually or a 4-year, $91.96 million deal.
