49ers Expected To Cut Ties With Brandon Aiyuk But Delay Move Amid Trade Stalemate

The 49ers do not intend to pay disgruntled receiver Brandon Aiyuk the $27M he is due to make this season, and after suffering from injuries and a very public falling out with 49ers officials, no other team intends to pay him close to that, either.

So while Aiyuk will eventually be cut, and he has more than worn out his welcome in San Francisco, league sources said that team will wait as long as possible before cutting ties with him for a multitude of reasons. 

First of all, he’s not costing them anything right now in terms of upfront money or guarantees hanging over them, and Aiyuk’s bizarre offseason isn’t helping create demand or clarity.

So rather than release him now and let him be there for the start of spring practices with his new club and get acclimated to new quarterbacks and surroundings, they will leave him in limbo. 

With the draft behind us now, no limited compensation the 49ers would get could help them now, and it is conceivable that maybe they get something that isn’t totally negligible if a team suffers an injury to a top receiver and feels a little more motivated to make a trade.

Spinning Their Wheels

To say that things between the player and the team have gotten personal would be an understatement, and even by 49ers standards, they seem to specialise in these type of clashes, this situation with Aiyuk has devolved far beyond the norm.

Aiyuk did not play last season and was not around the team much. 

The negotiations between him and the team on his contract extension, after their last Super Bowl appearance, got sideways and that bled over. 

Aiyuk tore knee ligaments in 2024 and has not played since, with he and the team also at odds about his timeline for return. 

Aiyuk has made some puzzling posts on social media and teams are unsure about his health and mentality, further complicating any trade talks. 

But with him set to make $27M this season and $28M in 2027 and $30M n 2028, the money is a massive issue and even with those salaries not guaranteed it has become clear other clubs do not want to assume that deal.