Insider shares if 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk will report for training camp

During Thursday's edition of NFL Network's "The Insiders" program, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport suggested that San Francisco 49ers fans shouldn't be stunned if star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is nowhere to be seen when veteran San Francisco players report to training camp on July 23.

"He does want a contract extension," Rapoport said about the 26-year-old in the final year of his rookie deal, as shared by David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "I would be surprised — we'll see — but I would be a little surprised now if he sets foot on the field without an extension. So we certainly have not heard the last of this one."

Aiyuk skipped the club's mandatory minicamp last month amid his desire for financial guarantees beyond the upcoming season, but Dan Graziano of ESPN noted on Thursday that the 2020 first-round draft pick seemingly "has begun to make peace with the idea of playing for San Francisco on his current contract this season if no new deal materializes."

While Aiyuk could stay away from the team through preseason games to make a point, individuals such as Rapoport have routinely mentioned that the 49ers have a history of getting deals done with players late in summers and ahead of regular-season openers.

"If that happens again for the 49ers on Aiyuk, they know at least he'll be ready to play," Rapoport said about the receiver who has featured only for San Francisco as a pro.

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice recently argued that Aiyuk should welcome an opportunity to prove himself in a contract year. Such a mindset somewhat ignores the fact that the 49ers can retain Aiyuk's rights for 2025 via the franchise tag.

"If a player wants to make it clear that he is not happy about where his contract extension stands, he does not show up," Rapoport explained. "Now the big question, of course: Is Aiyuk gonna show up for training camp? And you figure, if he was willing to take that strong of a stance for minicamp, perhaps he could do the same for training camp."

There remains no indication a 49ers team attempting to play in a second straight Super Bowl contest will trade a talent such as Aiyuk without being able to immediately replace him this summer. Aiyuk may be willing to accept fines related to missing practices, but it's unknown if he'd sit regular-season games as a negotiating tactic.