Brandon Aiyuk Passes 49ers Physical; Release Likely

Aiyuk passed his physical Monday, according to veteran insider Jordan Schultz, and he is officially reinstated. The mercurial pass catcher is hoping for a release, and Schultz adds at least one team has discussed the prospect of adding him to its practice squad if/when a San Francisco separation occurs.

The 49ers are likely to cut Aiyuk by 3pm CT today, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. If Aiyuk is on San Francisco’s roster beyond that point, he would be due a $1.52MM game check. The 49ers will not be paying that, given where this relationship has gone since Aiyuk’s 2024 knee injury and subsequent career-redefining antics, leaving them few options. They have no intention of moving Aiyuk back to their active roster, Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes.

If the 49ers keep Aiyuk on their roster beyond 3pm CT today, he would be subject to waivers following the trade deadline. But that is not exactly an issue at this point. Aiyuk, 28, has burned bridges over the past year and would not be claimed on his current salary.

Rather than Aiyuk’s 2025 contract tolling to 2026, Florio adds the returning WR is on a $13.75MM salary for the remainder of the 2026 season. Aiyuk was only on the 49ers’ reserve/left squad list for part of last season, helping to explain why his deal did not toll. He did not leave the team until November 2025 — after the report of the team voiding his future guarantees surfaced.

Aiyuk owes the franchise about $13MM in bonus forfeiture, as our Ely Allen examined last week, and Florio posits the embattled receiver sent a substantial payment to the 49ers to grease the wheels on reinstatement. Aiyuk, a 2023 second-team All-Pro whose downfall has been among the NFL’s strangest storylines this decade, connected himself to the Commanders — to the point he bought a home near their Virginia practice facility — and it is worth wondering if the NFC East team would take a flier here.

Displaying considerable talent between his 2020 first-round arrival and the signing of a four-year, $120MM extension in August 2024, Aiyuk will probably receive a second chance. His hire of power broker Drew Rosenhaus has certainly expedited this process, which had been in a monthslong holding pattern. Aiyuk said he has returned to 100%, though interested teams will need to see evidence of this (along with evidence he can be a dependable asset once again).