The offseason has been largely dedicated to unraveling the potential contract extension for San ‘Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk, a situation that is unique in its own right. Based on past trends, we’ve anticipated a deal to be struck this summer, considering the Niners’ history of not making players play out the final year of their contract.

But there also hasn’t been a situation like this where a significant amount of money is tied to a handful of players. Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel, Charvarius Ward, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and George Kittle account for a significant chunk of the 49ers’ cap space, while Christian McCaffrey is in that group as well; he just has a friendlier cap number in 2024.

Could it be that the strategy for Aiyuk’s contract extension is to reward him, but not in the conventional way? Aiyuk might receive his due in terms of money, but not until 2025, a move that could significantly impact the team’s financial planning.

In an article where he spoke about overreactions from the offseason, ESPN’s Dan Graziano had a section where he said he did not believe one of the star receivers gets traded before the start of the season. Here’s what he said about Aiyuk:

“The Niners, meanwhile, seem to have a dialogue going with Aiyuk, and some of his recent public comments indicate that he has begun to make peace with the idea of playing for San Francisco on his current contract this season if no new deal materializes. Teammate Deebo Samuel’s guaranteed money runs out after this season, so there’s the strong chance the Niners instead move on from Samuel and find themselves able to pay Aiyuk in 2025.”

Aiyuk scratches the Niners back in 2024, and the team scratches his in 2025. Aiyuk’s cap number this year is $14.12 million, the fifth-year option for a receiver drafted in the first round of 2020.

It’s not the same situation as Tee Higgins, CeeDee Lamb, or Justin Jefferson because they don’t play on a team with as many stars as the Niners. But, as Graziano said, one of the star players on this roster could be on his way out after this year, and even if he isn’t, there’s no more guaranteed money to pay out, freeing up cash for Aiyuk.

Aiyuk would have to be OK with doing so. It shouldn’t be an issue if he knows the money is coming. But there are so many distractions, and we have no clue if he wants to be recognized this year for what he did a season ago and not have to wait—which is something the wideouts from his class don’t have to worry about.