Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk says he and the San Francisco 49ers have been "pretty far apart" in recent extension negotiations.
"Throughout this process, there was times where we were super close. ... There's days and times, like in the past month or so, where you could say we're pretty far apart," Aiyuk said on The Pivot Podcast (2:40 mark.)
This season, Aiyuk is set to make $14.1 million in the final year of his rookie contract. After recording a career-high 1,342 receiving yards in 2023, he wants the security of a lucrative extension before he takes the field again.
"I have a vision for what I see myself as, and you don't see me as that," Aiyuk told hosts Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. "Or you do, but you can't financially do it... it's like, it's no hard feelings, though. If you don't want to do it, or you can't do it, I'm sure there's somebody that will.
"I ain't doing the hometown discount."
The wide receiver clarified his TikTok from earlier this month, in which he appeared to say that the 49ers "don't want me back."
"They told me that, they didn't think we were on the same page, and they didn't think that we were going to," Aiyuk said. "That was about it at that time. But that's part of the contract negotiations, trying to sway stuff in either direction."
Aiyuk said the negotiations became trickier as the offseason wore on and other wideouts signed their own extensions.
Those receivers included Justin Jefferson, who became the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL earlier this month by inking a four-year, $140 million extension with the Minnesota Vikings.
"I felt like, when the season was over, I was back and forth with them every day... I wasn't worried about any other guy. I was just tryna get what I felt was appropriate for me at that time," Aiyuk said.
Aiyuk continued: "They got paid, their teams rewarded them, the market changed to what the market is. We weren't able to get a deal done at that time, where other guys wouldn't have affected the market, and I could just do what I wanted to do. But even at that time, they still didn't agree with where I was at."
Aiyuk and the 49ers met earlier this week to discuss his contract. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that the meeting went well and that San Francisco is not currently considering trading Aiyuk.
With quarterback Brock Purdy eligible for an extension after the 2024 season, the 49ers will need to consider cap limitations as their negotiations with Aiyuk continue. The wide receiver could decide to continue his holdout through training camp if a decision hasn't been reached by July.
