Schefter: Brandon Aiyuk remaining with 49ers long-term the ‘more likely scenario’

Aug 21, 2024, 6:00 AM

Schefter; Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball after a catch for a first down...

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball after a catch for a first down in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

BY AMILIANO FRAGOSO

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

The twists and turns of the Brandon Aiyuk-49ers saga have been ever-changing. But as of right now, the most likely outcome seems to be Aiyuk returning to San Francisco, according to Adam Schefter.

The ESPN insider joined The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday to discuss the latest regarding the San Francisco 49ers and their disgruntled star wide receiver. While there has been no real update for the past several days, all signs continue to point to both sides ironing out a contract extension.

Because at the end of the day, despite all the trade speculation, both the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk need each other to succeed in 2024.

“I think at some point this week there will be activity here and we’ll see what that leads to..

We’re all waiting to see how this unfolds and it’s hard to predict exactly how this is gonna go”@AdamSchefter #PMSLive https://t.co/BXBmlsmMKE pic.twitter.com/OOnSEKea5b

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 20, 2024

“The 49ers know that they need Brandon Aiyuk out there. He’s made a lot of plays for them over time, he’s had a great run, and they want to get the deal done. They’ve made him multiple offers to try to keep him, but for whatever reason, that deal hasn’t gotten done, and that has allowed other teams to enter the fray with trade conversations,” Adam Schefter explained Tuesday.

“I think we’re at the point now where we’re going to start to get a push here to see how this winds up, how it’s resolved. And I think the 49ers would like to keep him [and] want to keep him. I still think that’s the more likely scenario. But, to think that there’s any likely scenario for this particular situation would be a mistake.”

That last part of Schefter’s statement is the most damning regarding the current climate: We really don’t know how this is going to end. We think we know, but we don’t know if we know we know (IYKYK).

A main example: The chart below.

Brandon Aiyuk timeline (in case you’ve been too exhausted to follow the rumor mill)…

July 31: Handshake/hug day; Aiyuk on practice field
Aug. 5: Verified reports that SF was open to a trade (Shanahan later indicated they’d been open to a trade for at least a few days before…

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 14, 2024

It’s now August 21st, AND WE STILL DONT KNOW!

But, with less than three weeks to go before Monday Night Football against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, it may be time we start to see the organization put the heat on their player to make a decision.

“I just think we’re entering here a important time for Brandon Aiyuk, where, I think at some point this week there’ll be activity here, and we’ll see what that leads to,” Schefter said.

The 49ers are now pressed against the clock as well. The 2024 regular season is on the horizon. Friday will be the team’s preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, then a bye week, then it’s Week 1. Time is of the essence now for both Aiyuk and the 49ers to get this resolved, one way or another.

However, it would be naive to believe that their is still only one outcome. Until pen hits paper, this Aiyuk-49ers standoff remains one of the wackiest stories in recent NFL history.

“I’m just telling you, at various points I would have thought the most likely outcome would have been him being traded to Cleveland, or to Pittsburgh, or New England,” Schefter added about Aiyuk. “The most likely outcomes shift on an almost-daily basis, how this unfolds, in the end, we’re all waiting to see. Again, today, the outcome that makes sense, whatever that means, is going back to San Francisco. But there’s a lot of things that don’t make sense here, so it’s hard to predict exactly how it’s going to go.”

As for where the 49ers stand (at least publicly): Business as usual, with no contract resolution imminent for both Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams.

“Zero updates. Nothing has changed,” 49ers’ coach Kyle Shanahan said about both Tuesday.

The only thing that has changed, at least for Aiyuk, is that he’s returning to making an appearance at practice once more. Albeit, he’s not practicing, but he is behaving in a way that would suggest a desire to stay up-to-speed.

Additionally, NFL insider Jordan Schultz corroborated Schefter hours later, reporting that Aiyuk and the 49ers held positive talks in another meeting recently. Both sides appear t0 be headed towards a long-term partnership, just that a few “minor details” still need to be “ironed out” and backed by ownership.

Those aspects of the contract likely revolve around fully-guaranteed money, signing bonus, and the duration of the deal. You know, the little things.

All jokes aside, the 49ers and Aiyuk seem set on continuing their football relationship for the forseeable future. But until the likes of Schefter, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, or even the 49ers themselves announce Aiyuk has signed the dotted line, all bets are off for how this standoff ends.