San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is skipping mandatory minicamp in search of a new contract.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Aiyuk did not show up for the start of minicamp on Tuesday, per sources informed of the situation.
Aiyuk skipped voluntary workouts this offseason in search of a pact that better aligns with a soaring receiver market. Missing the three-day mandatory minicamp subjects the receiver to more than $100,000 in potential fines. Unlike veterans on their second contract, however, players on their rookie fifth-year option like Aiyuk could ultimately have their fines waived by the club -- as the Niners did last year with Nick Bosa.
The 26-year-old wideout is due $14.124 million in the final year of his rookie contract. Coming off a season in which he was named second-team All-Pro with a career-high 1,342 yards, Aiyuk is in line for an increase that better aligns with the top of the market, which currently has four players above the $30 million-per-year new-money mark and eight over the $25 million plateau. Justin Jefferson reset the market on Monday with a four-year, $140 million extension.
On the day running back Christian McCaffrey saw another payday, Aiyuk wants his first extension.
Aiyuk skipping mandatory minicamp is not surprising. He sees other receivers getting paid, including his draft classmates, and wants in on the action. Withholding services is one of the few points of leverage players have.
The question is whether the Niners are willing to meet the increasing market or prefer to play things out and deal with it after another playoff run. The wideout's willingness to potentially incur fines suggests he's against that play and is inclined to sit out. How far could the holdout go? Into training camp, preseason or even the regular season?
The Niners admitted there was trade chatter leading up to the draft, but GM John Lynch insisted afterward that the club planned to keep the WR corps intact in 2024 -- with the addition of first-round wideout Ricky Pearsall. The looming question is whether Aiyuk is willing to play that game. Could he push for a different resolution, or is he willing to risk playing on a lesser deal for a championship contender while anticipating a payday coming in 2025?
