49ers' Lynch hopes to sign Aiyuk to long-term deal

49ers general manager John Lynch is hopeful the team and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk can come to an agreement to keep him in San Francisco long term.

"You want a guy like Brandon Aiyuk to be a part of you going forward," Lynch told reporters.

He added: "Whether you're a trained eye or you're a fan, you can see the passion he plays with, you can see the production that he's had. ... We're extremely prideful in what he's become, and he should be as well."

Aiyuk is set to play the 2024 season on a fifth-year option worth $14.1 million, according to Spotrac. He's eligible for the franchise tag if the two sides can't agree to an extension before March 2025.

The 25-year-old Aiyuk led the team in targets (105), receptions (75), and receiving yards (1,342) this season. He secured a second-team All-Pro nomination, and his 1,342 receiving yards ranked seventh in the NFL.

However, Aiyuk had a quiet playoff run, totaling only nine catches for 149 yards in three postseason contests.

"If that's the right move, yeah," Aiyuk said when asked if he wants to remain with the 49ers, according to Matt Lively of CBS Sports. When asked what the right move would look like, he replied, "Being a champion."

San Francisco selected Aiyuk in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has 269 catches for 3,931 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns in 62 career games.