Brandon

Aiyuk

The Steelers actively pursued Aiyuk last year, but, as Lombardi notes, Pickens was not on the trade block until the 2025 offseason. Aiyuk ultimately stayed in San Francisco on a new contract and the Steelers moved Pickens to Dallas ahead of the 2025 season. The move worked out terrifically for Pickens, who is putting up top-five receiving numbers with the Cowboys. Everyone else involved likely wishes they had handled things differently. Aiyuk has since had guarantees in his contract voided, meaning he and the 49ers are headed for an ugly split after the season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Steelers pursue him again next offseason.

Fowler notes that Aiyuk played with Jayden Daniels at Arizona State and that Adam Peters, a former San Francisco assistant GM, is running the show in Washington. This is in a hypothetical scenario where Aiyuk becomes a free agent — we don’t necessarily know that we’re going to end up here — but the fact that the 49ers voided his guarantees makes it a plausible idea.

Lynch wouldn’t call it realistic for Aiyuk to suit up for the Niners late in the regular season or the postseason, but said he remained hopeful the wideout would play at some point in 2025. Aiyuk, coming back from a brutal knee injury, has not had his 21-day practice window opened and is unhappy with the team after the Niners reportedly voided his 2026 contract guarantees. The Athletic reported in November that Aiyuk had likely played his final game for the 49ers. It would be shocking if Aiyuk returned in the final weeks of the season.

The goal posts continue to be moved regarding Aiyuk’s return. Unfortunately, the reportedly disgruntled wide receiver would be impossible to trust in his first game back anyway. He can be rostered in injured reserve spots, where available, but he is not guaranteed to return anytime soon, if at all.

Aiyuk is seemingly still working his way back from the ACL tear he suffered in the middle of the 2024 season. It was a multi-ligament issue that is taking much longer than expected to heal. The complicating factor here is Aiyuk’s contract. The Athletic’s Mike Silver and Dianna Russini reported earlier this week that Aiyuk failed to attend meetings and participate in other team activities, resulting in the team voiding his 2026 guarantees. Aiyuk is now expected to be released at the end of the year. Even if Aiyuk is given the medical greenlight, it’s hard to imagine him donning a 49ers jersey ever again. We are still expecting Aiyuk to sit out for the remainder of the year, but there is a small chance he returns to action at some point, even if it’s simply to prove his worth as a likely free agent next offseason.

According to sources, it is likely that Aiyuk “has played his last game with the franchise,” though “some in the organization are holding out hope.” Aiyuk has reportedly “failed to attend meetings and declined to participate in other team activities.” Frustrated by Aiyuk’s lack of communication, the 49ers responded by voiding his 2026 guarantees, “asserting that the absences amounted to a failure to fulfill his contractual obligations.” Aiyuk reportedly told NFLPA reps “that he did not want to fight the move via an official grievance,” which “would clear the way for his expected release at season’s end.” The move allows the 49ers to recoup a significant sum. Aiyuk’s 2026 option bonus would have paid out $24.935 million. Silver and Russini’s report details unresolved issues between Aiyuk and the 49ers’ brass, dating back to the 2023 season. The star wide receiver was very nearly traded to the Steelers in August 2024, but ultimately agreed to sign the 49ers’ standing offer. The deal, unfortunately, failed to mend the damaged relationships. While Aiyuk would surely draw interest as a free agent, unknowns remain regarding Aiyuk’s health. The veteran wide receiver has not played since tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus in October 2024.

The Niners continue to push back the return for Aiyuk, who is still working his way back from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in 2024. 49ers general manager John Lynch said last week that the team still plans to get Aiyuk on the field at some point this season, but the timeline for his return remains a mystery. In addition to Aiyuk, the Niners also said they won’t be opening Jacob Cowing’s return window until after their Week 14 bye. Cowing has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The 49ers keep pushing back Aiyuk’s return date and now Lynch isn’t even putting a timeline on it. The team hasn’t designated him to return from the PUP list yet, meaning he might not even be that close to taking the field. Aiyuk is recovering from the multi-ligament knee injury he suffered in the middle of the 2024 season. The injury was more complicated than a standard ACL tear and it’s unclear when he will be ready to suit up. The question Lynch was answering was whether this could be a redshirt year for Aiyuk. He rebuffed the idea, but then ominously ended his statement with, “But we’ll see, no absolutes there.” It sounds like the 49ers have at least considered the possibility that Aiyuk doesn’t play this year. Needless to say, it doesn’t sound like Aiyuk will be returning anytime soon.

ESPN’s Adam Shefter reported last week that AIyuk — coming back from a catastrophic 2024 knee injury — is expected to return to the Niners lineup at some point this season. That might mean a December return if Aiyuk’s practice window is not opened in the next week or two. The team has said Aiyuk’s recovery has been more complicated than expected. Until he returns, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall — who could return from a knee injury in Week 11 — will operate as the Niners’ top two wideouts.

In early August, 49ers GM John Lynch said he did not “think” Aiyuk would be able to return for the team’s Week 1 game against the Seahawks. Roughly one week later, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Aiyuk was “on track to be back around Week 6.” His latest supposition has been that Aiyuk could return in Week 10. Despite Schefter’s report, the team has not yet activated Aiyuk’s 21-day practice window, suggesting he is more than three weeks away from returning. He still has time to return before the season’s end, but one wonders how many games he can reasonably be expected to appear in.