The San Francisco 49ers have turned their attention towards training camp, but they still have some offseason work to do. The most important item of business left on the Niners’ to-do list involves figuring out what the future looks like for disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
For months, Aiyuk has seemed set to move on from San Francisco, but he remains with the team as training camp draws near. The Niners have no reason to just give Aiyuk to another team, but the problem is that nobody else seems to want him. And with his latest social media antics drawing attention, Aiyuk’s stock is at an all-time low across the league.
Teams Not Interested in Potential Brandon Aiyuk Move
After a breakout campaign in 2023 (75 REC, 1,342 YDS, 7 TD), Aiyuk inked a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the 49ers. After struggling to begin the year, Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL that ended his season prematurely, and he still hasn’t taken the field since midway through the 2024 season, due to a combination of his injury woes and his ongoing beef with San Fran.
Aiyuk skipped a mandatory rehab session with the Niners last year, resulting in the team voiding the remaining guarantees on his aforementioned contract. With Aiyuk being placed on the left squad list, the 49ers can essentially hang onto the former All-Pro pass catcher without having to pay him.
The front office wants to get rid of Aiyuk, but it has made it clear that it is going to trade him rather than release him. The only issue is that no one wants to make that sort of move for Aiyuk, as the lone team that had any tangible interest in him (the Washington Commanders) seems to have been scared away by his recent comments towards their star quarterback, Jayden Daniels. Put it all together, and NFL insider Jeremy Fowler offered a worrying update on Aiyuk’s future.
“Aiyuk remains in limbo — on the ‘left squad’ list, 49ers don’t have to do anything right now, rival teams consider Aiyuk’s social media plan nonsensical, and teams with receiver needs have plenty of free agents available (Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, etc.),” Fowler wrote in a post on X.
What’s Next for Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers?
GettySan Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk’s situation is so strange that there really isn’t any telling what will come next. The Niners really don’t have to do anything with Aiyuk until they want to, and it seems like the only way they are going to get rid of him is in a trade. Nobody is interested in him, though, which has created an odd standstill that is clearly agitating Aiyuk.
Things are continuing to deteriorate every time Aiyuk goes on social media and makes some sort of post, but San Fran isn’t sweating it. Until someone offers the front office something for Aiyuk, it is going to hold onto him without any sort of repercussion. So unless something changes drastically here, it looks like Aiyuk is going to start the year with the Niners, even though he wants nothing to do with this team.
Insider Bashes ‘Nonsensical’ Brandon Aiyuk as 49ers Drama Continues