The San Francisco 49ers are at their Week 14 bye and although they’re wanting ahead to some much-needed down time, they’re additionally reaching essential mass in relation to vast receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s standing for the remainder of the season and past.
Coach Kyle Shanahan has stated the Niners will not open anybody’s — together with Aiyuk’s — follow window throughout the bye which implies there are 4 extra weeks for Aiyuk to return to follow and, probably, play within the common season.
After all, whereas the 27-year-old has but to be bodily cleared to return from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in his proper knee (an damage he suffered in Week 7 final season), it stays to be seen if he’ll even accomplish that if he will get the inexperienced mild. That is as a result of, in July, the 49ers took the drastic step of voiding the roughly $27 million in ensures contained in Aiyuk’s contract for 2026 after Aiyuk didn’t reside as much as the contract he signed in August 2024, together with missed rehab periods.
“I have been teaching over 20 years, and I’ve by no means been in a scenario the place a contract’s been voided,” Shanahan stated on Nov. 22. “It is extraordinarily uncommon to me.”
Now, the 49ers and Aiyuk are at a crossroads the place his expertise might be of use because the Niners (9-4) make a playoff push, however a possible return might additionally show a distraction if he and the 49ers aren’t capable of put apart their variations.
So it’s {that a} as soon as promising future for the Niners and Aiyuk now appears far murkier than it did on Aug. 29, 2024 when the perimeters signed off on a four-year, $120 million extension that, on the time, was the second-largest in franchise historical past.
ESPN NFL Nation 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner, senior NFL insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler and NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid weigh in on what lies forward for Aiyuk and the Niners.
How did the 49ers and Aiyuk get right here?
All through the 2024 coaching camp, Aiyuk and the 49ers discovered themselves in a contentious contract negotiation wherein Aiyuk requested a commerce after taking to social media a number of instances to voice his displeasure. The Niners tried to grant that request just for Aiyuk to make use of his contract leverage to nix these provides. On the time, it appeared that the suitable amount of cash may purchase happiness for each events.
So per week earlier than the season, the 49ers prolonged Aiyuk with an extension that included $76 million in ensures.
Nevertheless it did not take lengthy for these good emotions to fade. Quickly after Aiyuk signed, he and Shanahan had an ungainly public trade on the follow area on Sept. 27, 2024, when Aiyuk wore crimson shorts when the remainder of the group was carrying the required black ones. Aiyuk was seen taking the shorts off on the sphere and kicking them as he modified in to the proper ones. That it occurred publicly after Aiyuk signed the contract was a sign that each one was not effectively regardless of the brand new deal.
Aiyuk then struggled on the taking part in area. He was averaging 58.5 yards per recreation with no touchdowns within the first six weeks. Then, he suffered a devastating knee damage on Oct. 20, ending his season.
At that time, the frustration of the contract negotiations lingered.
A number of sources advised ESPN that the Niners had hoped to commerce him final offseason however the damage put an finish to any real looking hopes of a great return in commerce, although, as the marketplace for an injured participant with a giant contract by no means materialized.
On April 1, Aiyuk’s $24.935 million roster bonus for 2026 grew to become assured. However Aiyuk missed a number of rehabilitation periods within the offseason and the Niners voided his 2026 ensures, together with that choice bonus.
Nonetheless, Aiyuk earned reward from Shanahan and receivers coach Leonard Hankerson for taking an lively function in serving to the receivers and rehabbing in coaching camp, maybe in an effort to get the Niners to rethink the voided ensures.
Aiyuk had 50 days from when his ensures have been voided to file a non-injury grievance (recourse for the participant by the NFLPA that enables them to problem membership punishments associated to contracts, fines or suspensions), however he didn’t. And although he has been across the facility for rehab in current weeks, his presence for group actions and follow has been scarce, although teammates say they’ve been in touch with him.
“I attain out to him as a lot as I can, test on him,” receiver Ricky Pearsall stated earlier than the 49ers’ Week 12 win in opposition to the Panthers. “Generally if you’re on this enterprise, you are all the time busy. He is busy doing his factor, so generally you are not speaking each single day. You want to test on folks like that. However when he pops in my head and I consider him, I will attain out to him.” — Wagoner
Will Aiyuk play for the 49ers once more?
If the stunning 2022 Jimmy Garoppolo reunion taught us something, it is that nothing ought to ever be dominated out. Nonetheless, in Aiyuk’s case, it looks like there must be a serious shift for him to play for the Niners this season or sooner or later.
In late November, it was talked about to Shanahan that the voiding of Aiyuk’s ensures would appear to level to his eventual departure. On the time, Shanahan demurred.
“What occurred in July, to me, would not have something to do with the longer term,” Shanahan stated then. “Relating to the way forward for this, I’d love for B.A. to be right here. I’d love for him to get wholesome and get again to essentially serving to us out and being part of this group. We’ve not had that in somewhat bit and I nonetheless maintain out hope that he can get there. However he clearly hasn’t gotten there but.”
It needs to be famous that Aiyuk is on the bodily unable to carry out listing, not injured reserve, which implies the Niners might, in idea, open his follow window to see how wholesome he’s and the way he may match again right into a group he hasn’t performed with in additional than a 12 months earlier than probably activating him and it would not depend in opposition to their allotment of eight gamers they will designate to return from IR. The window for AIyuk to return to follow or be activated might lengthen if the Niners make the postseason.
Additionally, Aiyuk’s knee damage was extreme and it is honest to surprise if he can carry out close to the usual he has performed at beforehand, which could make sitting the remainder of the common season extra prudent if he cannot be at or close to full energy.
There’s additionally a fragile steadiness to bear in mind within the locker room. And whereas the Niners might use somebody of Aiyuk’s appreciable skills on the sphere, additionally they want to make sure they do not disrupt the chemistry and tradition this 12 months’s group has in-built an antagonistic season.
The extra probably situation is that Aiyuk and the Niners decline to carry him again this season after which half methods — in no matter kind which may take — within the offseason when the Niners will not have practically the monetary burden they’d have earlier than voiding his future ensures. — Wagoner
What could be the contract and wage cap implications of shifting on from Aiyuk?
With the longer term ensures voided, the contract math on Aiyuk is fairly easy. The 49ers would incur a $29.585 million dead-money cap cost in the event that they launch him outright. They might designate him as a post-June 1 launch and unfold that cash over two years, carrying a $13.325 million dead-money cost in 2026 and the remaining in 2027. And the identical math applies in the event that they traded him — a $29.585 million dead-money hit with the choice to unfold it over two years in the event that they have been to deal him after June 1.
Reminder: Groups can not commerce a participant earlier than June 1 and designate the transfer as a post-June 1 transaction. They must really wait till after June 1 to commerce him to have the ability to unfold the lifeless cash out, or else soak up the complete $29.585 million dead-money hit in 2026. — Graziano
What kind of market would exist for Aiyuk in free company if he’s launched?
Someplace on the highest shelf of obtainable free agent receivers. Dallas’ George Pickens is taken into account the highest choice, however Dallas might take him off the market with the franchise tag. Aiyuk would most definitely be within the class with Indianapolis’ Alec Pierce and Inexperienced Bay’s Romeo Doubs. His turbulent previous two years in San Francisco have to be accounted for, however he is solely 27 and has a transferable talent — he is an elite route runner, assuming he turns into wholesome sufficient to nonetheless beat corners.
One group to probably look ahead to Aiyuk is Washington. He’s shut with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former teammate at Arizona State. And normal supervisor Adam Peters — a John Lynch disciple from his time in San Francisco — understands the Aiyuk expertise effectively. — Fowler
Will the 49ers be wanting so as to add one other receiver within the 2026 NFL draft? In that case, who could be a great match?
The 49ers have been diligent in drafting vast receiver expertise, as they’ve chosen not less than one in 4 of the previous 5 years. And with one other loaded class of wideouts on deck in 2026, San Francisco will probably be trying to find expertise on the place as soon as once more.
One frequent trait the Niners search for in vast receiver prospects is the flexibility to select up yards after the catch. And which means KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) and Chris Bell (Louisville) could be two real looking choices on the again finish of Spherical 1 — the 49ers are projected to select No. 28, per ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index — and each would make numerous sense. Concepcion has 423 yards after the catch this season, whereas Bell has 378. — Reid