In the past few years, the 49ers training camp was premium entertainment.
The daily scrutiny of Trey Lance may have seemed tedious and tiring, but at least people were focused on what was happening on the field. This year, all the drama will be off the field.
Until Brandon Aiyuk signs an extension or agrees to practice, he will overshadow all of 49ers training camp. Aiyuk Watch will dominate the coverage and the questions for every player.
Is Aiyuk in the facility? Has anyone talked to Aiyuk? What’s Aiyuk’s mood? How do his teammates feel about him holding out? Do they think Aiyuk is asking for too much money? Do they think the front office is being stingy? Do they think they can win without Aiyuk? Do they think Aiyuk will be back eventually?
Football coaches want the focus of their football team to be on the field at all times — that’s why they traded Lance last year. They felt he was a distraction. Not because he called attention to himself — he didn’t. People simply talked about him more than anyone else on the team. And the 49ers didn’t want a famous backup. So they traded him for a fourth-round pick.
Now Aiyuk wants to be traded, and the 49ers refuse to deal him and have created the exact type of distraction they were trying to avoid with Lance. How strange.
The 49ers can say they have leverage over Aiyuk, but as long as his absence is bigger than anyone’s presence in camp, they’re in a bad position.
