The newest core member of the 49ers who is eligible for a second contract has been talking about getting one for a while now: Brandon Aiyuk. When pressed about the matter in the past, general manager John Lynch has responded in a variety of ways, but during the Combine, he was particularly direct in his response.

Especially over the last two seasons, Aiyuk has established himself as one of the league’s best young receivers. In 2023, he had a stellar year as he continued to be a key component of San Francisco’s passing attack and helped the team win the Super Bowl. The 49ers’ decision to exercise the 25-year-old’s fifth-year option puts him on the books for $14.1MM in 2024.

Speaking at the Combine, Lynch stated of Aiyuk, “He’s served us very well as a franchise, and I think we’ve got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us” (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “We want to keep Brandon around for a very long time.”

These comments run counter to Lynch’s earlier positions on the matter. The seasoned executive pointed out that given their cap predicament and the difficulties a new Aiyuk deal would bring, the 49ers “can’t just be reckless.” Other offensive mainstays Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel are all under multi-year contracts with San Francisco, while Nick Bosa’s historic extension will result in significant increases in his cap costs.