NFL Rumors: Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers to Meet Amid Contract, Trade Buzz

The standoff between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk reportedly took a step toward potentially ending on Monday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ryan Clark reported Aiyuk and the 49ers are meeting Monday to discuss his situation. He has just one more season remaining on his current contract.

The Aiyuk situation has taken a number of twists and turns this offseason.

One of the latest ones came when he posted a TikTok earlier this month in which he told Washington Commanders quarterback and former Arizona State teammate Jayden Daniels "they don't want me back."

While it was easy to speculate he was talking about the 49ers, Schefter reported in the aftermath that the team did actually want him back but only at the right price:

The price point is, of course, a major topic in any contract negotiations. That is even more the case this offseason at the wide receiver position after Justin Jefferson reset the market at an average of $35 million per year. Elsewhere, A.J. Brown (average of $32 million per year), Amon-Ra St. Brown (average of $30 million per year) and Jaylen Waddle (average of $28.3 million per year) also signed head-turning extensions.

With that as the backdrop, Aiyuk skipped San Francisco's mandatory minicamp and didn't participate in the team's offseason program.

He has plenty of leverage at just 26 years old, especially with how the wide receiver market has changed so much this offseason. He is also coming off a career-best season that saw him post 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns while helping lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

San Francisco will likely have to pay more than it wants if it is going to keep him beyond the 2024 season and preserve a loaded offense that also features Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, among others.

Perhaps Monday's meeting is a step toward finalizing a future deal.