49ers reportedly have regrets about overpaying Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa
The San Francisco 49ers are having buyer's remorse after paying an estimated $300 million to keep Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa.
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Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa (Image Credits: via AP)
The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the more proactive teams in the NFL, not shying away from spending money to retain and bring fresh talent aboard. The team had a few big names four seasons ago, but now, there are multiple stars on a squad that reeled from a Super Bowl hangover this season.
The 49ers have ensured their players are compensated well. However, their more recent retentions have come from them staring down the barrel of a gun. The likes of Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa forced the hands of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch by holding out until they got paid.
While both Bosa and Aiyuk are talented players, there is reportedly a sense of regret now that San Francisco has an estimated $290-300 million tied up in their contracts. As per Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, the team is not happy about having acted impulsively while dealing with the two stars.
I know that there’s still frustration about the way Brandon Aiyuk handled his bitter negotiations last summer and that members of the front officer were never thrilled about giving him a $30-million-a-year deal on the eve of the regular season.
Tim Kawakami stated
Tim Kawakami on Brandon Aiyuk:
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) February 20, 2025
“I know that there’s still frustration about the way Brandon Aiyuk handled his bitter negotiations last summer and that members of the front office were never thrilled about giving him a $30-million-a-year deal on the eve of the regular season.… pic.twitter.com/Ky0LltF6Fr
The Aiyuk deal was necessary to close as he stepped up in Deebo Samuel’s absence last year and played better than him.
The San Francisco 49ers are due to offer a sizeable extension to QB Brock Purdy this off-season
The wide receiver made it clear that if he was not compensated, the 49ers could forget about him returning. Aiyuk struck when the iron was hot, as the likes of CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson were changing the wide receiver market. He capitalized on this opportunity and San Francisco likely knew too that their days with Deebo Samuel were numbered which is why they budged and gave in to his demands.
Brandon Aiyuk deserved to be paid but the 49ers front office remained discontent with paying him $30 million a year. Nick Bosa, who is arguably a beast on the defensive end is the highest-paid defensive player in the league earning $34 million a year on top of his guaranteed $120 million. However, despite his performance, it would seem the 49ers are having buyer’s remorse.
A team that absolutely hates setting contract precedents probably doesn’t feel great in retrospect for buckling and giving Nick Bosa $34 million a year…two Septembers ago after his long holdout…
Tim Kawakami added
It is hard to blame the 49ers for paying their players because Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa are two players you’d hate to lose. The last year was hard for San Francisco. With Nick Bosa having a decent season and Brandon Aiyuk’s year ending early due to an ACL injury, their investment did not yield the expected results.
Especially when one is attempting to win a Super Bowl, it makes sense to have all the talent one can get their hands on. However, with the team’s quarterback actively seeking a contract, San Francisco now has to be wise with their cap.
With a little under $47 million left in their cap space for the upcoming season, the team is not in the worst position in comparison to other NFL teams. However, Brock Purdy’s deal will undoubtedly impact that.
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Sumedh Joshi
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