The San Francisco 49ers have done the majority of their offseason work when it comes to building their roster, but there’s still one big question mark: wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. For the past few months, it has seemed increasingly likely that Aiyuk will be headed for the exit door, but he is still currently on the Niners roster.
Aiyuk’s situation took a turn last week when a warrant for his arrest was issued, but San Francisco hasn’t blinked when it comes to the handling of his situation. And according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, it doesn’t sound like the team is in a rush to reach a resolution when it comes to Aiyuk’s future.
49ers Continue to Drag Their Feet with Their Brandon Aiyuk Situation
Aiyuk has had a tumultuous past few years that can only truly be described as bizarre. In 2023, Aiyuk enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him earn All-Pro Second Team honors after he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. After a summer full of tense contract negotiations, Aiyuk eventually put pen to paper on a four-year, $120 million extension.
In 2024, Aiyuk struggled through seven games before he suffered a torn ACL, which ended his season prematurely. The Niners hoped he’d be able to return at some point last season, but he never did. After his rehab took longer than initially expected, Aiyuk ended up having the remaining guarantees from his contract voided after he did not attend his injury rehab sessions.
When that happened, it all but guaranteed that Aiyuk would not be suiting up for San Francisco anytime soon. And while all signs point to him moving on from the team this offseason, no such move has materialized yet. With no deadline in sight, Rapoport believes that this saga could drag on for another few months.
“They have his rights. He’s not due any guaranteed money because he forfeited that by not showing up to his rehab,” Rapoport said on “The Insiders.” “They would like to trade him, probably to the Commanders … We’re in a situation where nobody wants to move at all. They’re all staring at each other. There’s really no deadline to make a move at all.”
What Should the 49ers Do with Brandon Aiyuk?
GettyWide receiver Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco has made it very clear that it is intent on trading Aiyuk, as it is not in a rush to move on from him. At this point, the only team that seems to have interest in taking a flier on Aiyuk is the Washington Commanders, but they aren’t willing to trade for him. Instead, they are pretty certain that the Niners will release him, which would allow them to go and sign him in free agency.
The problem with all of this is that, since he has no more guaranteed money in his contract, San Fran has no incentive to just give Aiyuk to Washington. As a result, it seems like the front office is going to sweat the Commanders out and see just how bad they want Aiyuk, and with nothing to lose from this plan of attack, it makes the most sense, even if the storylines surrounding the talented pass catcher won’t be going away anytime soon.
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