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Nick Wagoner, ESPN editor-in-chief
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In the hour before the San Francisco 49ers began practice Wednesday afternoon, coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch expressed hope that receiver Brandon Aiyuk would participate.
The reason for this unrewarded hope? A clean bill of health for Aiyuk issued by the 49ers team doctors.
But during the roughly 30-minute window in which media are allowed to watch practice, Aiyuk was nowhere to be found. That brings Aiyuk and the Niners to the latest, and perhaps most explosive, point in this protracted contract dispute.
Before Wednesday, Aiyuk was considered a “player in waiting” because he showed up to training camp on time and attended meetings with the rest of the team. At the time Aiyuk reported, Shanahan said the receiver was dealing with back and neck pain. Those injuries allowed Aiyuk to avoid practice without racking up $40,000-a-day fines.
After the Niners trimmed their roster to 53 players Tuesday, Aiyuk was given the all-clear by the medical staff, according to Shanahan. That clearance prompted Shanahan to say he hoped Aiyuk would practice Wednesday, with Lynch later adding that Aiyuk’s practice was “the expectation.”
Given that Aiyuk, who Lynch said was at the team’s facility earlier Wednesday, was not at practice, the Niners now have the option to pursue disciplinary action against the receiver. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, once the league transitions from training camp to regular-season mode, teams can begin fining players for “unexcused missed activities,” which would include walk-ons, curfews, practices and meetings. Those fines can be as high as $16,009 for each missed activity, with a maximum total fine for a single day of $45,769 if a player misses multiple events on the schedule. From there, teams also have the option to suspend players for conduct detrimental to the team.
Asked Wednesday whether they would punish Aiyuk for missing practice, Lynch and Shanahan declined to answer but did not rule out the possibility.
“I’ll deal with it when it happens. If it happens,” Shanahan said.
Lynch was later asked if the Niners communicated to Aiyuk at any point in recent weeks that he was expected to practice starting Wednesday.
“I’m not going to get into our discussions,” Lynch said. “At some point, you have to play.”
Aiyuk is seeking a lucrative contract extension, either with the 49ers or another team. He missed all 20 of the 49ers’ practices before roster cuts and three preseason games as he and the team discussed several scenarios. That includes negotiating a long-term contract extension that would keep Aiyuk in San Francisco long-term, as well as trade discussions with other teams, namely the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders.
But so far, none of those discussions have resulted in an extension with the Niners or the right combination of trade compensation for the Niners and financial compensation for Aiyuk to reach a resolution. With the season opener against the New York Jets set for Sept. 9, time is running out to find common ground. That could still result in a third option for Aiyuk: playing this season for the Niners on the fifth-year option, which guarantees him $14.124 million.
“As I said from the beginning, we’ve reached a point where all options are open,” Shanahan said. “And nothing has changed about that.”
Shanahan also acknowledged that Aiyuk’s uncertain status contributed to the Niners keeping seven receivers on the initial 53-man roster. Despite all the back-and-forth in what has become a showdown between the two teams, Lynch again expressed hope they can “break through.”
“I’ve seen situations like this before, and they can turn sour quickly,” Lynch said. “It gives hope, because we’ve been in situations like this before and these things can be forgotten quickly. We’ll remain hopeful.”
Aiyuk isn’t the only key player the 49ers are trying to bring back into the fold. Left tackle Trent Williams continued to waver Wednesday as he seeks a trimmed contract that offers him significant guarantees and puts him at the top of the tackle market.
Lynch said there has been “good communication” with Williams and the Niners are “constantly working” to come up with ideas and find a solution to get the star tackle back in the game. Unlike Aiyuk, Williams did not report and remains on the alternate/no-roster list, meaning he does not appear on the 53-man roster.
Throughout Williams’ absence, Shanahan and Lynch have expressed confidence that the star tackle will return when the time is right. Still, there is a growing sense of urgency to get Williams back as soon as possible as Week 1 quickly approaches.
“I’m optimistic that things will work out with Trent,” Shanahan said. “I’m not sitting here knowing what day it’s going to be. We’re getting closer to the game, so my mind is completely focused on preparing for a game without those guys. But yeah, I think when two sides want to make a deal, it usually happens.”
