49ers keeping Aiyuk trade door open as important deadline looms

The 49ers traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason.

And president of football operations/general manager John Lynch is keeping his options open for the team to move wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the right price, too.

“You get calls and you always listen to calls,” Lynch said last month at the NFL Scouting Combine when asked specifically about the possibility of a trade involving Aiyuk.

If it is going to happen this offseason, it almost certainly would occur within the next week.

Aiyuk is due a guaranteed option bonus of $22.855 million to be payable on April 1.

In an offseason during which the 49ers are slashing future cap obligations, eliminating that payment would appear to fit into the team’s long-term financial planning.

The 49ers have reduced their future salary-cap liabilities to clear the way for the anticipated big-money contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy. Lynch also said recently that the team intends to sign tight end George Kittle to a contract extension this offseason.

But it might not be so easy to find a trade partner to pick up the remainder of Aiyuk's contract as he comes back from a significant knee injury. There is no guarantee he will be ready for the start of the regular season.

A year ago, the 49ers had three trade destinations lined up for Aiyuk as their contract negotiations stalled throughout the offseason and training camp.

Aiyuk, in essence, spurned the overtures of the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots through his refusal to agree to lucrative contract offers with those teams, NBC Sports Bay Area reported last summer.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of Aiyuk’s preferred teams if he were to leave the 49ers. There were deep negotiations on all sides that easily could have sent Aiyuk to Pittsburgh.

But 17 days after the 49ers made their final offer to Aiyuk, he and his representative agreed to the terms of the contract extension.

The new deal, agreed upon on Aug. 29, contained a four-year extension with $120 million of new money, including a $23 million signing bonus that was paid last year.

Any team that would be willing to trade for Aiyuk now must pick up the terms of his contract, including the $22.855 million option bonus that is due early next week.

Lynch will have opportunities to conduct face-to-face meetings with any interested teams at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, in the days leading up to the deadline for Aiyuk’s bonus.

The event, which includes every NFL owner, general manager and coach, is scheduled to begin Sunday, March 30.

There does not appear to be as much interest in Aiyuk as a year ago, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area. The source also did not rule out the possibility a trade could go down.

Aiyuk sustained a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee on Oct. 20 during a Week 7 regular-season game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He also sustained a torn MCL and, perhaps, some other damage to the knee that could impact his timetable for a return.

Aiyuk, who turned 27 on March 17, continues his physical therapy to get ready to play during the 2025 season.

“Our trainers who have been with him say he's doing very well,” Lynch said. “He’s putting in the work, that's what you have to do.”

After signing his big contract, Aiyuk got off to a slow start before sustaining the season-ending injury.

In seven games, he caught 25 passes for 374 yards and no touchdowns. Aiyuk cashed in after a strong fourth season, where he caught 75 passes (105 targets) for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.

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