49ers tout draft ability in announcing Brandon Aiyuk extension
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers’ history with first-round draft picks is spotty, but they’ve extended their best selections under general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan, first with Nick Bosa last year and officially with Brandon Aiyuk on Friday.
A day after Aiyuk agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension, the 49ers announced his signing that keeps him under their control through 2028. He was to play this season on a $14.1 million option, so that salary surely has been reallocated to spread out the salary cap hit.
Financial details were not immediately available, nor was Aiyuk or any team official made available for comment. The team’s social-media channels posted video of Aiyuk wearing a 49ers cap and entering the John McVay Draft Room to take a seat and sign his contract with a ceremonial quill pen, saying: “Yep, yep, it’s about right, it’s about right.”
“We were thrilled to draft Brandon in 2020 and are now equally excited to have him in the fold for years to come,” Lynch said in a statement. “Brandon is a special talent who is a warrior on the field and plays with a passion that we look for in 49ers.
“We look forward to Brandon continuing to be part of what we strive to accomplish as an organization.”
Lynch, in another video posted by the team, is shown greeting Aiyuk in the conference room and asking if he slept well Thursday night. Aiyuk replied in the affirmative, having taken his son Thursday night to San Jose State’s opening win against Sacramento State at Spartan Stadium.
The 49ers traded up in 2020 to select Aiyuk with the 25th overall pick.
Aiyuk rebuffed multiple trade proposal before agreeing to terms, 11 days before the 49ers’ regular-season opener against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.
Bosa, the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, did not end his holdout until days before last season’s opener, and the 49ers did not announce it until some 48 hours before kickoff at Pittsburgh.
First-round picks who are playing elsewhere and did not land a contract extension under Lynch and Shanahan: Solomon Thomas (2017), Reuben Foster (2017), Mike McGlinchey (2018), Javon Kinlaw (2020), and Trey Lance (2021). The 49ers had no first-round pick the past two seasons as a result of trading up to select Lance at No. 3. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was selected at No. 31 overall this year.
The trade overtures and contract proposals Aiyuk rebuffed, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, involved the New England Patriots at $32 million annually, the Cleveland Browns ($30 million), and, finally, the Pittsburgh Steelers ($27.7 million).