The 49ers' impasse with Brandon Aiyuk has a bit over a month to resolve itself before the start of training camp. If the two sides can't find a middle ground by then -- and that seems likely -- then things could get uncomfortable.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer assessed the situation in a recent mailbag, and offered what he thought it would take to get a deal done with Aiyuk. He referred to Mike Silver's report that the 49ers were around a $26 million per year offer.
"My sense is that's getting in the neighborhood of where they'll have to lock up Brandon Aiyuk, whom they really do value and love," Breer wrote. "I think the final number, if I had to guess, will wind up being $29 million per year, which would put Aiyuk past the Miami Dolphins' Jaylen Waddle and Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, and still behind the Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson by quite a bit (which would be understandable)."
Aiyuk's leverage is that he's the team's best wide receiver going into what feels like a do-or-die shot at the Super Bowl, with Brock Purdy still on a rookie deal. The 49ers' leverage is more substantial. They drafted Ricky Pearsall, who looks excellent, and have an arsenal without Aiyuk. They could force him to play on his fifth-year option of $14.1 million.
