Looking back on it, the San Francisco 49ers made a mistake in extending Brandon Aiyuk.
Just look at how it’s played out. The 49ers are going to release Aiyuk after the season, and all they got from it was a headache, seven games played, 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns.
However, that’s all hindsight. It’s easy to be critical of the extension after the fact. When the 49ers finalized Aiyuk’s extension, it was initially sensible to do so.
Why it was Initially Sensible to Extend Brandon Aiyuk
Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) walks on the field before the start of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The 49ers were rewarding a player who had been improving every year since he stepped foot in the league. That is every team’s dream for their first-round pick to continually ascend.
Aiyuk did that and capped it off in 2023 by earning an All-Pro honor. He’s been their best wide receiver since Kyle Shanahan took over as head coach of the 49ers in 2017, and it isn’t close.
The impact Aiyuk makes in the 49ers’ offense gets overlooked at times. He’s a receiver who will beat man-to-man coverage, can find the soft spots in the zone, and is a committed run blocker.
Aiyuk is everything that Shanahan wants in a wide receiver. That is why he made the boss call to pull the plug on Aiyuk being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Shanahan knows that he isn’t finding a replacement for Aiyuk so easily. Not to mention that extending Aiyuk ties him to Brock Purdy for the foreseeable future.
Dec 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Purdy was entering a contract year at the time the 49ers extended Aiyuk. It made sense to lock in Purdy’s best wide receiver to make them a tandem. Investing in Aiyuk was an investment in Purdy.
Every good or great quarterback always has their go-to wide receiver. The 49ers wanted Aiyuk to be that for Purdy, especially seeing how the two connected so well in 2023.
It’s just unfortunate how it all played out. Now, Purdy loses the best wide receiver he’s ever had. But the 49ers should’ve known that allocating so much money to a receiver isn’t a great idea.
Their offense isn’t predicated on the pass. It heavily features the run with the passing game feeding off it to thrive and be its balance.
Perhaps Shanahan envisioned an offense that incorporated more passes? We’ll never know now, as Aiyuk and the 49ers are calling it quits once the season is over.
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