San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk has followed the Deebo Samuel playbook in an effort to get a new contract, as his teammate did two years ago.
In 2022, Samuel sought a new deal, asked for a trade when talks didn't appear to go his way, then staged a hold-in during training camp before ultimately agreeing to a three-year, $73.5 million contract on July 31. Aiyuk has followed that path and is currently in the hold-in stage, hoping the resolution also comes out the same.
With Aiyuk in a familiar position, it's logical that Samuel would be asked what support he's given his teammate through the process.
"I know what it feels like to go through what he's going through right now," Samuel said on Friday. "The only thing I can do is just tell him is to keep his head up, things are gonna work out. Just day by day, like, it's a long process -- real long -- it's frustrating. All I can do is just tell him to keep his head up, be where his feet are, just continue to do the things he does for his communication on his end and their end, and hopefully, things just play out."
The wide receiver market exploded this offseason, with six players inking deals for more than Samuel's $23.85 million-per-year salary. The 49ers wideout currently ranks 11th among receivers in annual pay.
Aiyuk would like to join those who have enjoyed a big payday this offseason. The question is whether Samuel's playbook will work for him or if it has a different end.
