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Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As the contract stalemate between the San Francisco 49ers and receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues and the start of the regular season approaches, the Niners are beginning to feel the squeeze to find a compromise with their star wideout.
“It’s been a long, arduous, hard process, a hard journey,” 49ers general manager John Lynch told KNBR radio in San Francisco on Friday. “We started this early and for whatever reason haven’t been able to get it across the finish line. That’s been frustrating. But the communication has still been really good with Brandon and his agent, and we’re trying to figure out a solution.
“I’m always hopeful. I’m an optimistic person [by] nature, and so I’m always hopeful that we get there and get there soon. I can tell you we feel the urgency to have him. The season is approaching.”
The Niners/Aiyuk saga has now lasted longer than all of their previous contract extension negotiations except for what took place with end Nick Bosa last offseason. Bosa didn’t sign until the week of the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Coincidentally, it’s those same Steelers that have remained most prominent in potential trade talks with the Niners if a deal with Aiyuk can’t be struck. Sources told ESPN this week that the Niners and Steelers have the parameters of a trade in place for Aiyuk but the Niners are still trying to achieve their preferred resolution with Aiyuk: a long-term contract extension to keep him in the Bay Area.
Asked why the negotiations with Aiyuk, which began before April’s NFL draft, have taken so long, Lynch told KNBR with a laugh, “I wish I knew.”
Throughout the offseason, the Aiyuk situation has ebbed and flowed, with various moments of hope that a contract extension was close and, conversely, that a trade to send him elsewhere was afoot. To this point, though, neither of those things has happened despite Aiyuk’s public expressions of displeasure with the situation, which culminated in a trade request just before camp opened in late July.
From there, Aiyuk reported to camp on time and has been a “hold-in,” which is to say he’s not participating in practices but is in the building every day and attending meetings.
In the first couple of weeks of camp, Aiyuk was a regular attendee, watching practice from the sideline and even alongside Lynch on occasion. As rumors of a potential trade to the Steelers, Cleveland Browns or New England Patriots began to surface, Aiyuk was not as visible at those sessions.
But Aiyuk, who is under contract for a fifth and final season on his rookie deal at a price of $14.124 million, has been back around practice more this week with tight end George Kittle noting that Aiyuk was wearing a red 49ers T-shirt this week.
On Friday, Aiyuk even did some conditioning work on the side before watching team drills from the sideline.
“There’s not bad blood,” Lynch said. “Negotiations can get heated; I think it’s his first time going through that, but no bad blood. I mean people that are here see Brandon out here, there’s a lot of love and respect for the relationship we’ve had and continue to have and hopefully will have into the future.”
Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have emphasized that they believe Aiyuk is doing a good job of staying ready and there’s still enough time for him to get into football shape before the Sept. 9 opener against the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football.”
On Friday, Shanahan brushed aside questions about Aiyuk and potential fines, as Aiyuk had reported neck and back soreness at the start of camp. Those ailments can serve to help prevent him from being fined for not practicing.
“You want every player in camp and you want every player healthy and you want to be working everything every single day,” Shanahan said. “But that’s not the reality of our league. That’s not a reality of our situation.”
While Aiyuk’s prolonged hold-in continues, left tackle Trent Williams remains mired in his holdout. Williams is seeking more guaranteed money and to lift his annual salary back to the top of the tackle market.
Unlike Aiyuk, Williams has stayed away during camp despite racking up $50,000 per day in fines that cannot be rescinded because of his veteran status. Because Williams is 36, he and the Niners have to work through how long they can push future guarantees depending on how much longer he might play.
Simultaneously, the Niners know what Williams can do, and he’s not necessarily someone who wants or needs a full training camp at this point in his career. The 49ers completed their 17th practice without Williams on Friday but they are confident that Williams will be back and ready to go at some point relatively soon.
“Trent, I haven’t spoken to him, but I think we’ll be able to work that out,” Shanahan said.
On the injury front, the Niners had a couple of other notable updates on Friday. Safety Talanoa Hufanga has been cleared to ramp up his workouts as he recovers from a torn right ACL with the hope that he can be eased into practice in a week or so. Guard Aaron Banks had surgery for a broken pinkie finger on Friday morning.
Shanahan said the aim is to have Banks back and ready for the opener against the Jets.