Brandon Aiyuk could have a new home in the coming days.
The 49ers have negotiated the frameworks for deals with the Browns and Patriots for the disgruntled wide receiver, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
It’s now in Aiyuk’s hands to see if he can work out a long-term contract with one of the two teams.
The 49ers have given the Browns, Patriots, Commanders and Steelers permission to negotiate with Aiyuk’s agent, Maiocco reports. The Commanders removed themselves from trade talks, and the Steelers declined to meet the 49ers’ trade demands, per Maiocco.
The Browns and Patriots have presented an offer to Aiyuk, who is holding in and not practicing at 49ers’ training camp.
He skipped the offseason program, and the slow progress of contract talks prompted him to ask for a trade.
Aiyuk is scheduled to make $14.124 million on a fifth-year option but wants a market value deal with 21 receivers now with an annual average at least $20 million.
Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes that the Browns could afford Aiyuk under their cap if Amari Cooper was part of the trade.
Yes, intentions can change.
When receiver Brandon Aiyuk formally requested a trade three weeks ago, the 49ers reportedly has “no intention” to trade him. Now, the 49ers reportedly are talking to multiple teams about a potential deal.
Via Matt Barrows of TheAthletic.com, “multiple teams” have contacted the 49ers about a potential trade. No deal has been done, yet.
Earlier today, in response to one report of a deal in place with the Steelers, a source with knowledge of the situation told PFT that “no decisions have been made.” Which possibly implies that a decision could be made, in time.
Before the draft, when Aiyuk was trying to get a multi-year deal from the 49ers, it was decided that he’d see whether another team would pay Aiyuk what he wants. And, we’re told, five teams were willing to do it. But the 49ers accepted none of their trade offers.
Possible destinations include the Steelers, Commanders, Browns, and Patriots. The challenge will be striking a deal that gives the 49ers value in 2024, and not just one or more draft picks for 2025.
Aiyuk is under contract through 2024, at a base salary of $14.1 million. He has been holding in — present but not practicing — since training camp opened last month.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski announced at the start of training camp that he would remain the team’s offensive play caller this season despite the hiring of Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator.
Dorsey, who called plays for the Bills for 27 games the past two seasons, was unfazed.
“At the end of the day, from day one in this process of interviewing and all that, Kevin was very upfront and honest about everything, and you don’t always get that in the league,” Dorsey said, via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. “And he was very upfront. And so I knew it going in that there was going to be a process to go through, and at the end of the day, I want to win football games and Kevin’s a fantastic play caller, and I feel good about where we’re at.”
Stefanski has called the plays with the Browns since they hired him in 2020, with the lone exception being the wild-card win over the Steelers in the 2020 season when he was out with COVID. Alex Van Pelt called the plays in that game.
The Browns fired Van Pelt after last season and hired Dorsey.
“I think that was, and again, Kevin could kind of attest where his decision thought process was and where his state of mind was in terms of making that decision,” Dorsey said. “You know, I just know there was very open communication with me from him throughout the entire process, from the interview process to today.”
The Browns have offered an update on the condition of edge rusher Za’Darius Smith.
Smith was carted off the field at Monday’s training camp practice after getting hurt during goal line work. The Browns announced that Smith suffered a knee contusion and that he will undergo further evaluation on Tuesday.
It remains to be seen how long Smith might be out of action, but that diagnosis is better than the worst-case ones that come to mind when a player needs assistance to be taken off the field.
Smith is in his second season with the Browns after recording 5.5 sacks last year and signing an extension with the team this offseason.
The Browns lost a key defensive player to an injury during Monday’s practice.
Reporters at training camp said edge rusher Za’Darius Smith had to be carted off the field after going down during a goal line drill. There’s been no word about the nature of the injury that Smith suffered.
Smith joined the Browns in a trade with the Vikings last year and signed a two-year contract extension with the team this offseason. He had 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 16 regular season starts.
The Browns just got Myles Garrett on the field for the first time since camp opened and they’ll be hoping that Smith can rejoin him on the field soon.
Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore was evaluated for a concussion after getting hurt at the team’s final training camp practice in West Virginia last Friday, but he’s back on the field with the team back in Cleveland.
Moore did not practice in the team’s first session back at home on Sunday, but reporters at Monday’s session passed along word that Moore is fully dressed and on the field for the workout.
Moore had 59 catches for 640 yards and two touchdowns last season.
The Browns opened up camp with Jerry Jeudy sidelined due to a knee injury, but he has been ramping up his workload. Moore will now do the same and the Browns should get a chance to work with their full receiver group in the near future.
Every different team has a potentially different plan for dividing up preseason reps. The Browns, who are dealing with a situation far different from most teams when it comes to the quarterback position, are trying to figure out how much to use their starter during the three exhibition games.
“We’re working through that,” coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Sunday regarding the plan for Deshaun Watson in the preseason. “I’ve talked to the coaches about it. We’ll have an update this week, but really want to sit down with the coaches and talk through it.”
For now, Watson will be throwing every day in practice this week. He received a scheduled day off on Friday, the team’s final practice at The Greenbrier in West Virginia.
Injuries limited Watson to six games in 2023. He eventually was shut down for the season with a broken bone in his shoulder, opening the door for Joe Flacco to join the team and win the league’s comeback player of the year award.
The Browns open the preseason slate by hosting the Packers on Saturday, August 10.
Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett went through his first practice of training camp Sunday, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
Garrett’s return coincided with the team’s return to Cleveland from the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
He missed the first week of camp after tweaking a hamstring on the final day of minicamp in June. The reigning defensive player of the year worked out and conditioned on the side until Sunday when he participated in some individual and defensive line drills.
“Myles, man, come on,” Za’Darius Smith said Sunday. “We all know what type of guy Myles is, man. I think he was born in a lab, but he’s different. I would say he’s a guy that’s doing more leadership now. I’m seeing him talk more in meetings and helping the younger guys and staying after practice and helping those guys as well. So that’s big for Myles and that’s big to see a guy going into what year eight? Year eight for him, man, to really show that leadership after winning defensive player of the year.”
Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore (concussion) did not practice Sunday, but wide receiver Jerry Jeudy participated in team drills for the first time.
Former Browns running back Ben Gay died in a car accident in Colorado on Monday, according to multiple reports. Gay was 44.
The Houston native was a high school legend at Spring High School, rushing for 2,217 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior. He attended Garden City Community College in Kansas.
Gay played only one NFL season, seeing action in all 16 games in 2001.
He signed with the Browns three days before training camp and played special teams for the first half of the season. In Week 10, on Nov. 18, 2001, Gay carried 18 times for 56 yards and his only NFL touchdown in a 27-17 victory over the Ravens.
Gay finished the season with 51 carries for 172 yards and the one score, while also averaging 22.3 yards on 22 kickoff returns.
The Browns waived Gay in April 2002, and he signed with the Colts. After the Colts cut Gay in training camp, he played for Edmonton in the Canadian Football League.
After his retirement, Gay worked as a welder. He is survived by his wife, Margarita, and three children, son Damian Ortega and daughters Julie Ortega and Brianna Morales.
The Patriots announced a series of roster moves on Friday.
They signed tackle Kellen Diesch and safety A.J. Thomas to their 90-man roster. Tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and running back Deshaun Fenwick were released in corresponding moves.
Diesch has spent time with the Dolphins, Bears, Steelers, and Browns over the last two years, but has not seen any regular season action. Thomas played six games for the Bears over the last two seasons and had three interceptions in the UFL this year.
Wheatley played two games for the Patriots last season after being acquired in a trade with the Browns, but then landed on injured reserve. Fenwick was signed as an undrafted free agent this year.