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Brandon Aiyuk reportedly wants $30 million per season contract and wants to breach Amon-Ra St. Brown’s $120 million mark
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

If John Lynch is serious about keeping Brandon Aiyuk at the San Francisco 49ers, then he would have to act quickly. The All-Pro wide receiver is on the hunt for a lucrative long-term deal that will keep him in the Bay Area.

49ers general manager John Lynch previously revealed that they were engaged in talks with the 26-year-old along with Deebo Samuel. Aiyuk did not show up for the OTAs this week. Fan speculated it was because of the ongoing negotiations.

It was a bullseye as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed on Friday’s segment of NFL Live. Fowler disclosed that Aiyuk wants a salary equal or more to Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown’s four-year $120 million deal.

San Francisco with Brandon Aiyuk, they have been talking, they have been negotiating… I was told the benchmark here is [The Lions WR] Amon-Ra St. Brown because he got $28 million [per] year on a four-year deal from Detroit. The goal as it appears is for Aiyuk to try to beat that. Jeremy Fowler said per NBC Sports Bay Area

This news should come as a sigh of relief for the 49ers fans. A chunk of the fanbase perceived after Ricky Pearsall’s addition, that either Aiyuk or Samuel will be sacrificed to balance the salary cap. But Fowler’s words indicate a deal may happen during the offseason or the training camp.

Comparison of Brandon Aiyuk and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s journey

Taken one year apart, Aiyuk and St. Brown both proved to be valuable pickups for their teams. While Aiyuk starred for the Arizona Sun Devils, St. Brown lit up the college football scene with the USC Trojans.

However, St. Brown fell down the draft order after failing to impress at the NFL Combine. The Lions selected him in the fourth round. Aiyuk, on the other hand, was the 25th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

2023 was the breakout year for both players. St. Brown recorded a career-high 119 receptions for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns. He bagged his first All-Pro honors and a handsome payday.

Brandon Aiyuk had fewer receptions, yards, and touchdowns compared to St. Brown, but those can easily be chalked off. He had 75 receptions for 1342 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was part of the second-team All-Pro, won the NFC Championship beating the Lions, and played in his second Super Bowl. The 49ers would likely reward him for his services.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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