San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk did not play at all last season for this football team. He had a knee injury, and many are wondering if he will play for the 49ers in 2026 or if he will be elsewhere. San Francisco general manager John Lynch maybe trying to trade him, but there is a chance that Aiyuk may have to be released.
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Jul 24, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (in black hoodie) watches his teammates work out during the second day of training camp. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
He is 28 years old. There will be some contending teams that will want to take a chance on him with his talent. During the 2024 season with San Francisco, Aiyuk caught 25 passes for 374 yards receiving and zero touchdowns, along with averaging 15.0 yards per reception. He was also targeted 47 times during the 2024 season as well.
NFL Analyst Believes That the San Francisco 49ers Will Move On From WR Brandon Aiyuk Before the Start Of the 2026 NFL Season
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Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) catches a pass between Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) and safety Chamarri Conner (27) in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Mike Jones of the Athletic wrote about some debating topics other than the upcoming 2026 NFL schedule release. He gave his take on what to expect with the latest Aiyuk drama in San Francisco. Jones said,
“Despite the public admission from San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch that the wide receiver had played his last game for the team after a complex and confusing relationship fracture, Aiyuk remains on the Niners’ roster. The draft came and went without a move, so thestalemate drags on.
At some point, it’s believed that the 49ers will part ways with the 2020 first-round pick, who missed the entire 2025 season while rehabbing from knee surgery and then left the team during that recovery process. It’s widely believed that Aiyuk would like to play with former college teammate Jayden Daniels in Washington, but Commanders GM Adam Peters, who used to work for the 49ers, does not want to part with draft capital to acquire Aiyuk.
While it feels like the clock is ticking, the 49ers don’t actually have to make a move. When the receiver went AWOL, they voided all of the guarantees in the $120 million contract they awarded Aiyuk in 2024. So, it’s difficult to predict when this will be resolved. The Commanders would obviously like for the stare-down to end by training camp. Time will tell.”
The Washington Commanders would no doubt be one of the teams interested in Aiyuk. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts are some other teams to potentially watch out for in the Aiyuk sweepstakes if the 49ers either trade him or release him. It would be a major shock if he was on San Francisco’s roster to begin the 2026 NFL season.
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