The Philadelphia Eagles and third-year wide receiver DeVonta Smith came to an agreement on a new contract for the 10th overall pick in the 2021 draft. His three-year extension is worth up to $75 million with $51 million guaranteed. This should set a workable precedent for the 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk as they hammer out their negotiations on a long-term extension.
It won’t quite be an apples-to-apples comparison for the 49ers between Smith and Aiyuk. The latter is ascending as a No. 1 WR while the former is the No. 2 behind AJ Brown. Aiyuk is also entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal while Smith is only entering his fourth pro season.
However, their production over the last three years is remarkably similar. Smith in that span has 240 catches, 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns. Aiyuk over the same stretch is at 209 receptions for 3,183 yards and 20 touchdowns.
We could see the 49ers tack on a couple extra million per season with a few extra million guaranteed. They might also want to give Aiyuk more long-term stability with a four or five-year contract that would help them better absorb some of the bigger financial hits that come with paying him on a big-money deal.
While the Aiyuk extension may not be exactly the same as Smith’s, it certainly offers a jumping off point that isn’t completely outrageous from a financial perspective.
The biggest potential hurdle for the 49ers in extending Aiyuk was if he wound up asking for an exorbitant amount of money that would’ve made him a top two or three-paid wide receiver. The Smith contract should keep the numbers in a range more digestible for the San Francisco.