Why Kyle Juszczyk Believes Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers Will Get Their Deal Done – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers still haven’t reached an agreement on a new contract extension, but another San Francisco star is confident a deal will eventually get done.

Kyle Juszczyk spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco on Thursday during the American Century Championship golf tournament at Edgewood Resort in South Lake Tahoe and the Pro Bowl guard explained why he expects a deal to be made between Aiyuk and the 49ers.

“I see it both ways,” Juszczyk told Maiocco. “I support (Aiyuk) as a friend and as a teammate to try to get what he feels he deserves and what he wants, and what’s going to make him most comfortable going forward. I definitely think they’ll get that done with the Niners. 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 desire on both sides, I think you’ll get there eventually.”

Aiyuk is entering the fifth and final season of his NFL rookie contract and is set to earn $14.1 million in 2024.

But like many other young receivers, Aiyuk wants to be rewarded for his production over the past four years.

Aiyuk was named a second-team AP All-Pro last season after recording 75 receptions for 1,342 yards while catching seven touchdowns.

That follows a 1,015-yard 2023 season, a breakthrough campaign for the 2020 first-round draft pick.

This offseason alone, top receivers Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings), AJ Brown (Philadelphia Eagles), Devonta Smith (Eagles), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) and Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins) all received lucrative new contract extensions paying them between $25 million and $35 million per season.

Aiyuk hopes to join that group of well-paid receivers.

The problem appears to be that Aiyuk and the 49ers can’t agree on what number he should get and where he fits among the NFL’s highest-paid receivers.

St. Brown signed a four-year, $120 million contract and Aiyuk has indicated he wants more than that. Whether the 49ers will give him that remains to be seen.

Knowing the 49ers are trying to re-sign Aiyuk and will have to pay quarterback Brock Purdy next summer, Juszczyk took a pay cut this offseason, a request he admitted it was “hurt” to hear from general manager John Lynch.

But Juszczyk returned to the 49ers and, ultimately, he expects Aiyuk to remain with the 49ers on a long-term extension.

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