Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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Disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk sent a clear message to the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday by continuing to skip practice, signaling that he will not back down in his contract dispute with the team.
With NFL roster cuts finalized and teams preparing for their Week 1 games, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were confident Aiyuk would return to practice on Wednesday, ending his “delay” that lasted throughout training camp. The last time Aiyuk practiced with the 49ers was in the lead-up to the Super Bowl in February.
When asked if Aiyuk could face disciplinary action if he doesn’t practice, Shanahan replied, “I’ll take care of it when that happens, if that happens.”
Lynch agreed, saying, “Then we’ll take care of it.”
On Wednesday, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said he was preparing for the game against the 49ers as if both Aiyuk and back Trent Williams would play against them on Monday, Sept. 9. Shanahan, however, is preparing for the opposite. For now, he’s preparing as if his offense will take the field without those two standout players.
“I’m optimistic that Trent will work out,” Shanahan said. “I’m sitting here not knowing what day it’s going to be. We’re about to play a game, so I’m totally focused on getting ready for a game without those guys.”
Shanahan acknowledged that deals usually happen when both sides are motivated, but that is not the case with Aiyuk and Williams, which is concerning given the upcoming regular season.
Regardless of whether these problems are resolved, Saleh believes the 49ers remain a serious contender even without Aiyuk and Williams.
“I’ll put it this way: With or without them, they’re still a championship team and they’ve got some guys in their squad,” Saleh admitted. “It’s going to be an entertaining game, a great challenge.”
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