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The ongoing standoff between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers will be the underlying topic of conversation on Tuesday as veterans are set to report for training camp.
Joining Monday’s edition of The Insiders, San Francisco’s star tight end, George Kittle, lent his support to Aiyuk following the wide receiver’s recent trade request, adding why his teammate is such an essential part of the 49ers’ offense.
“Brandon Aiyuk is simply an outstanding football player,” said Kittle in an interview with Ian Rapoport, an insider for NFL Network. “He fulfills all the roles of a wide receiver perfectly, even snatching touchdowns from me occasionally, which I’m perfectly fine with. He’s a highly dynamic receiver and a crucial part of our offensive strategy. So, securing a deserving remuneration for Aiyuk is something I totally support. I can only wish him the best. Unfortunately, there’s not much I can contribute to this process, except to encourage him from the sidelines. I sincerely hope we can work something out because he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.”
When you have a receiver who can flawlessly execute every route, effortlessly catch difficult passes, be perfectly timed in his openness, and also contribute significantly in the run game by blocking effectively, you can see his impact in the highlights of the run game. Such a player, who does all these things and sets the pace and mood, is crucial to your offense.
Aiyuk requested a trade after an offseason of unsuccessful efforts to secure a long-term deal with the 49ers. The team has refused to participate in negotiations since May, reported Mike Garafolo, an insider for the NFL Network, last week.
Aiyuk, who has gone as far as publicly listing other teams (Commanders, Steelers) as potential landing spots this summer, has been absent from all of the 49ers’ offseason activities, including the club’s mandatory minicamp, which incurred a fine for the wideout.
The 26-year-old has consistently produced at least 75 receptions, 1,000 yards, and seven touchdowns in the past two seasons. As Aiyuk is due to earn 14.124 million in the last year of his rookie contract, he is pursuing long-term stability during a period when several other wide receivers across the league have received significant pay increases this off-season.
Kittle didn’t show any concern about Aiyuk’s contract situation in early July, explaining that the Niners have historically signed players to extensions weeks into training camp. Perhaps the five-time Pro Bowl TE remains unconcerned about it all because of that, but as the defending NFC champions come together on Tuesday, Kittle let it be known how important Aiyuk is for San Francisco.
