SANTA CLARA — This offseason, the 49ers gave Brandon Aiyuk a contract extension that makes him the fifth-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. But through three games, Aiyuk ranks just 65th in the league in receiving yards.
The 49ers aren’t getting their money’s worth.
On Wednesday in the 49ers’ locke room, Aiyuk discussed why his production has dipped. Here’s what he said:
Q: Have you noticed defenses playing you any differently this season through three games?
AIYUK: “A little bit different. They just know what we want to do, what we like to do, me and Purdy especially.”
Q: How do you work through that?
AIYUK: “Practice today. Try to get in different spots, get in different looks.”
Q: Does that open things up for other guys?
AIYUK: “I think we all open things up for each other depending on where we’re at on certain plays.”
Q: I’m sure you hear people saying you’re not putting up your usual numbers. Do you feel more pressure than usual? Is this different right now?
AIYUK: “It’s different, but anybody who has watched 49ers football for the last four years besides last year knows this is not much different.”
MY TAKE: It sounds like Aiyuk is blaming Kyle Shanahan for his lack of production. Saying that teams have caught on to the way Shanahan uses Aiyuk and that Shanahan needs some new ideas.
To be fair, Shanahan does seem to have a new idea — throw the ball to Jauan Jennings. He currently is the NFL’s third-leading receiver while Aiyuk is the most expensive decoy in football.
