49ers' Lynch: No trade talks about Aiyuk, in extension negotiations
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said Monday that his team hasn't engaged in trade discussions involving Brandon Aiyuk and is "actively talking" with the star receiver about an extension.
"There are a number of different directions it can go," Lynch said, according to David Lombardi and Matt Barrows of The Athletic. "But we appreciate the heck out of Brandon and who he is as a player. We want him to be a part of the Niners, so we're going to work towards making that a reality."
Aiyuk has been the subject of trade rumors ever since his girlfriend and friend both posted on social media about a potential exit from San Francisco shortly after the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The wideout fueled speculation further last week when he posted on X about Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.
"Mike coached me (in Tampa Bay) and so we're very close," Lynch said regarding a talk with Tomlin about Aiyuk at Michigan's pro day. "He's like, 'Bro, what's going on?' I promise you, we've got nothing - nothing is going on there."
Aiyuk is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and is coming off his first All-Pro season in which he led the 49ers in receptions (75) and receiving yards (1,342).
The 49ers dealt with a similar situation with fellow receiver Deebo Samuel ahead of the 2022 campaign. Samuel requested a trade and the 49ers had several offers on the table, but they ultimately decided to sign the pass-catcher to a three-year extension reportedly worth up to $73.5 million.