Add fullback Kyle Juszczyk to the list of San Francisco 49ers players confident that the club and unsettled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will work out some sort of agreement before the regular season gets underway in September.
“I really do think they will get it done with the Niners,” Juszczyk said about the Aiyuk situation during a recent conversation with Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (h/t Ali Thanawalla). “Because he wants to be a Niner, they want him to be a Niner, and those are the two most important things. When you have that want on both sides, I think eventually you’ll get it done.”
Aiyuk indicated last week that he “for sure” could see himself playing for the 49ers in the final year of his rookie contract, and the two sides seemingly aren’t close to signing any type of agreement after he skipped the club’s mandatory minicamp in June. As recently as Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said that he “would be a little surprised now if (Aiyuk) sets foot on the field without an extension” during training camp.
Aiyuk and other veteran San Francisco players are due to report to camp on July 23.
Earlier this week, 49ers tight end George Kittle noted how the club has a history of signing players to extensions from the start of training camp practices through the first week of September. Last year, superstar pass-rusher Nick Bosa received his desired deal shortly before San Francisco’s regular-season opener.
“I totally see it from both sides,” Juszczyk added about the standoff involving the 49ers and Aiyuk. “I support (Aiyuk) as a friend and as a teammate to try and get whatever he thinks he deserves and what he wants and what is going to make him the most comfortable going forward.”
Even if Aiyuk stays away from the team through the preseason, the 49ers can call his bluff knowing they can retain his rights for 2025 via the franchise tag. It remains to be seen if Aiyuk will make things uncomfortable for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan assuming this contract dispute runs into the early days of August.