Contract drama between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk is still stuck in the mud

The saga of Brandon Aiyuk-49ers seems to be far from over.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said Wednesday that the two sides remain at an impasse just over a week before the 2024 NFL season opener.

“I can't tell you how many times I thought this Aiyuk thing was going to be resolved one way or another, whether it was a trade or a contract extension,” Garafolo said on “Good Morning Football.” “And we're still stuck on Brandon Aiyuk.

“…It was clear he was going to practice at this point, so we'll have to wait and see if he's on the field with the San Francisco 49ers (on Wednesday). But we're no closer to a contract extension or a trade here than we have been in the last few weeks.”

Garafolo added that 49ers star offensive lineman Trent Williams could continue his performance into the regular season.

The Aiyuk situation has been one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason, as the 26-year-old hopes for a contract extension comparable to other high-dollar deals paid out to wide receivers in recent years.

In recent weeks, Aiyuk has been linked in transfer rumors with the Steelers, Browns and Patriots, among others.

Over a week ago, 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team felt a “urgency” to resolve the ongoing Aiyuk dilemma.

“It's been a long, arduous, hard process, a hard journey,” Lynch said, according to ESPN. “We started so early and for some reason we weren't able to get it across the finish line. It was frustrating.”

Aiyuk, a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is scheduled to earn $14.2 million in the final year of his rookie contract in 2024.

In 2023, he recorded career highs with 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.