49ers Not Seeking Brandon Aiyuk Trade

As a league executive informed SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora, San Francisco has “long given up” hope on trading away Aiyuk. Doing so would have allowed the team to receive some kind of draft compensation, but no suitor would be willing to take on the remainder of his contract given how the past few weeks in particular have unfolded. Aiyuk’s social media posts have added to the confusion and controversy surrounding his situation, one which has long been on track to include his 49ers release.

Negotiations on a long-term deal did not go smoothly in 2024, and a trade which would have sent Aiyuk to the Steelers nearly went through. Instead, a four-year, $120MM extension was agreed to. That decision has not aged well for either party. The 28-year-old was limited to seven games during his first year after signing the extension due to an ACL tear. Aiyuk missed all of 2025 after issues emerged regarding his rehab process while he largely remained away from the team.

As things stand, Aiyuk is still on the 49ers’ reserve/left squad list. Guarantees on his pact were voided due to his lingering absence from the team, although San Francisco could look to recoup money as well. La Canfora confirms a release is still the expectation in this case, but it remains to be seen how many teams will show interest in Aiyuk once he becomes available.

The Arizona State product’s long-held preference has been to reunite with former college teammate Jayden Daniels. The Commanders were interested in a low-risk signing earlier in the offseason, but it is uncertain to say the least whether or not that is still the case now. Washington could stand to add a veteran wideout and has the cap space necessary to do so. An Aiyuk agreement is far from certain, though.

Per La Canfora, an expectation exists that Aiyuk will need to work through a period following his 49ers release during which he avoids any further legal issues or other off-field controversies before landing his next NFL opportunity. In any event, a trade sending him out of the Bay Area is even less feasible than it was at the start of the offseason.