Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) lays on the ground after suffering an injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

49ers lose WRs Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel during loss to Chiefs

The San Francisco 49ers lost standout receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel during Sunday’s 28-18 loss to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.

Aiyuk was carted off with a right knee injury in the final minute of the first half. Samuel played briefly early in the game before exiting with an illness.

The 49ers also were without receiver Jauan Jennings, who didn’t practice all week and missed the game with a hip injury.

Aiyuk had two receptions for 23 yards before departing. He was injured when he caught a 15-yard pass and was hit by two Kansas City defenders, with the blow from Chamarri Conner causing Aiyuk’s right leg to bend backward.

Samuel was seen receiving oxygen on the bench in the first quarter. He didn’t touch the ball before departing. It marked his second missed game of the season.

Jennings leads San Francisco with 404 receiving yards. He also has 25 receptions and three touchdowns.

Aiyuk had 25 catches for 374 yards through Sunday’s game and hasn’t caught a touchdown pass. He staged an offseason holdout before accepting a four-year, $120 million contract extension in late August.

Samuel has 20 catches for 335 yards and one touchdown and also has 51 rushing yards and another score on the ground.

Rookie Ricky Pearsall was active for the first time after being placed on the 53-man roster on Saturday and made his first career catch. Pearsall, who was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in San Francisco on Aug. 31, finished with three receptions for 21 yards.

–Field Level Media

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) runs with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs LVIII between Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Bills, Patriots bidding on 49ers WR Deebo Samuel

Trade offers for wide receiver Deebo Samuel could fetch the San Francisco 49ers a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to multiple reports.

The two teams at the center of the bidding prior to the start of the second round of the 2024 draft on Friday were AFC East rivals Buffalo and New England, NFL Network and The Athletic reported.

NFL Network reported the Patriots and 49ers engaged in conversations around Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk during the NFL Scouting Combine, but compensation was a sticking point.

The Bills traded No. 1 wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans earlier this month and traded back twice on Thursday. Buffalo holds the No. 33 pick in the draft Friday.

49ers general manager John Lynch said on Wednesday that he “wouldn’t anticipate” a scenario in which the team would trade Aiyuk, who is looking for a long-term deal from San Francisco.

Whether Samuel could be available after Lynch used the 49ers’ first-round selection on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall — a former Aiyuk teammate in 2019 before transferring to the Gators from Arizona State.

Lynch called Samuel “a part of this team, and a big part of this team” on Thursday night after the pick. Head coach Kyle Shanahan went further, saying trade talks took place when teams called but trading a wide receiver “doesn’t seem that likely to be honest. But I’m still on the table. If someone offered [owner] Jed [York] and John good stuff for me, I’m going to be out of here.”

–Field Level Media

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA;  San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs with the ball as Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid (20) defends during the first quarter of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

49ers GM John Lynch expects WR Brandon Aiyuk to stay long-term

With the price of doing business with No. 1 wide receivers on the rise in the NFL, 49ers general manager John Lynch reiterated his position on paying Brandon Aiyuk in the near future.

“Our wish is he’s here and part of the Niners for the rest of his career,” Lynch said in a pre-draft press conference on Monday. “We’re focused on B.A. being part of us.”

Aiyuk isn’t attending voluntary workouts and Lynch said there have been calls from general managers about the availability of Aiyuk and others. For now, the 49ers “wouldn’t anticipate” a move this week involving Aiyuk being traded to a new team.

When the sides will engage again on contract negotiations is unclear.

The 25-year-old Aiyuk was named second-team All-Pro in 2023 and is due $14.1 million in 2024, the fifth-year option on his rookie deal with free agency coming up next March.

The 49ers traded up to draft Aiyuk 25th overall in 2020 and he has 15 total touchdowns the past two seasons. He had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards with seven touchdowns in 2023.

San Francisco has committed top dollar to key playmakers from wide receiver Deebo Samuel to running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle, with a massive deal coming quarterback Brock Purdy’s way soon, too.

By this time next year, Purdy could be cashing more than $50 million per season based on the current QB contract market.

That creates questions about whether one of those playmakers — or Aiyuk — might have to relocate for the 49ers to maintain financial harmony.

Samuel is scheduled to make $20.97 million in 2024 and Kittle’s base salary is scheduled to increase from $1.080 million last season to over $13 million.

–Field Level Media