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The last hurdle for Brandon Ayuk and the 49ers to agree to a lucrative contract extension appears to be the final, non-guaranteed year of a potential contract.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reported Friday Aiyuk and the 49ers are on the same page regarding the first three years of the proposed contract, but the star wide receiver wants to opt out of the non-guaranteed fourth year.
“The 49ers feel they’re already caved in enough and caved in more than they’d like, Steelers Depot) “They’ve gone up significantly from their offer in the spring. My report is that they’ve agreed to a lot in the first three years of the contract, which is usually the hardest part. That’s the guarantee, the cash flow, the APY in the first two years, the average per year and Aiyuk wants … in the final year of the contract. A fix, it’s not guaranteed.
“That year isn’t guaranteed, and we saw a lot of big receivers and agents last year put up big numbers for the year. That doesn’t look right, and that’s what needs to be more meaningful adjustment. That year, but one thing the 49ers can walk away from is 49ers saying, ‘We’re not going to make a move, and let him go.’ We are not going to trade because we feel we can still get this deal done.’ “
Garafolo announced Tuesday that Aiyuk and the 49ers had exchanged contract offers that were in range, and that the 26-year-old wideout was waiting for San Francisco to decide on a final item.
Based on Garafolo’s latest report Friday, the roadblock to the 49ers and Aiyuk reaching an agreement dates back to last year.
General manager John Lynch appeared on KNBR 680 Friday morning and was asked why contract discussions with Ayuk dragged on for so long.
“I wish I knew,” Lynch said KNBR’s “Murph & Marcus” program. “I wish I knew.”
Lynch also clarified that the sides are trying to find a solution to the situation.
“It’s been a long, hard, hard process, a hard journey,” Lynch told Brian Murphy and Marcus Boucher. “We started this early and for whatever reason didn’t make it across the finish line. That was frustrating. But communication with Brandon and his agent is still good and we’re trying to find a solution.
“I’m always optimistic. I’m an optimistic person by nature, so I’m always optimistic that we’ll get there and get there soon. I can tell you we feel the urgency to get him. The season is getting closer.”
While the 49ers reportedly have a trade structure with the Pittsburgh Steelers to send Ayuk to the Steel City, it’s clear their preference is to do something with the former first-round draft pick to keep him in San Francisco.
If the 49ers and Aiyuk find common ground on the back-end of a proposed deal, the situation could finally be resolved.
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