Brandon Aiyuk is going to become a very rich man at some point in the near future.
Regardless of whether he stays with the San Francisco 49ers or is traded to another team on draft night, the All-Pro wide receiver is set for a megadeal this offseason.
And his leverage in talks with the 49ers that have, as yet, failed to reach a resolution, increased on Wednesday with news that the Detroit Lions signed wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year extension worth $120 million.
Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, St Brown's deal averages $28 million over the first three years of the contract.
Aiyuk, per Mike Silver of The San Francisco Chronicle, is reportedly seeking an extension worth over $25 million per year and the 49ers are said to have been so far unwilling to meet that price.
The Niners' leading receiver now stands in even stronger bargaining position after seeing St. Brown get paid. Over the course of his three-season career, St. Brown has 3,588 receiving yards and 22 total touchdowns. In the same span, Aiyuk has 3,183 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns.
St. Brown's overall counting stats may be slightly superior but, coming off a season in which he was third in receptions of 20 yards or more with 28, Aiyuk is clearly in a spot where he can command a similar contract having emerged as the top pass-catching weapon in a San Francisco offense with more mouths to feed than in Detroit.
And Aiyuk is clearly aware of the strong spot he now occupies, as he was soon posting a video of himself dancing on his Instagram story shortly after news broke of St. Brown's deal.
Aiyuk can afford to be calm, knowing that some team, whether it's San Francisco or otherwise, is going to pay him at the rate he deserves. On the eve of the first round of the 2024 draft, 49ers fans are probably feeling a lot more nervous about the situation.
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