Brandon Aiyuk looks to top Amon-Ra St. Brown deal

Negotiations over a contract extension with Brandon Aiyuk have gone nowhere for the San Francisco 49ers.

They typically play hardball for most of the offseason. This has been the case since George Kittle, but especially in the last two years with Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa. Now it’s Aiyuk’s turn to endure it, and he’ll have to go into hiding after it’s revealed what kind of deal he’s looking for.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Aiyuk is looking to top the deal for Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

“I was told the reference here was Amon-Ra St. Brown,” Fowler said. “He got $28 million a year over four years with Detroit. The goal seems to be to try to beat that. He doesn’t have to be the highest paid in the league, but he’s done enough and he’s accomplished enough in that area where he’ll probably have to be at that number or higher.”

If Aiyuk is truly looking to surpass St. Brown, then he will be waiting a long time for a deal. The 49ers offering Aiyuk a better deal than St. Brown’s is not justifiable. Aiyuk may have just finished an All-Pro season, but St. Brown has been doing it longer at a high level.

Not to mention that Aiyuk’s impact and usage versus St. Brown is not the same. The 49ers surely want to extend Aiyuk, but he may have to be realistic about his numbers considering he’s not even the best option on offense.