49ers GM Lynch addresses Brandon Aiyuk extension talks ahead of NFL Draft

The situation isn’t novel for Lynch and the 49ers. Business as usual for them, historically, is for negotiations to last deep into the offseason, but ultimately end with the organization paying top dollar for star players. Just two years ago, Deebo Samuel was in a similar spot. He held out for some of training camp before inking a three-year extension with $58.1 million guaranteed.

Although not as versatile as Samuel, Aiyuk might be more important to San Francisco. An elite route runner, Aiyuk was named a second-team All-Pro in 2023. He racked up a career-high 1,342 receiving yards on 75 catches, adding seven touchdowns. In the 49ers’ Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, Aiyuk caught three balls for 49 yards.

Aiyuk developed a strong connection with Purdy. The two have texted a bit this offseason, Purdy said. The quarterback said Aiyuk is “like a brother” to him, and he wants the best for him.

“I love B.A.,” Purdy said. “What we’ve done has been pretty cool. I’ve said this before: I’m just thankful I’ve had the opportunity to play with him, throw him the ball and win games with him. It’s been awesome.

“But we’re at the time of year where, obviously, you don’t know. As a player, it’s out of our control to sign guys and stuff, that’s up to the front office. For me, I do trust John and Kyle in terms of getting guys who are going to make plays and be the right fit for our offense and everything. My job as a quarterback is trusting those guys to get the right guys, and execute to win.”

Asked if there’s any chance Aiyuk wouldn’t be on San Francisco’s roster on Friday, after the draft, Lynch smiled.

“I wouldn’t anticipate that,” Lynch said.

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