Overview
- Brandon Aiyuk remains on the roster, with GM John Lynch having said in January that the receiver has likely played his last snap for the 49ers.
- The team has no near-term cash outlay for Aiyuk and can wait as late as Sept. 1, when a $24.9 million option bonus would come due under his current deal, after voiding his 2026 guarantees.
- A post–June 1 mechanism would split an estimated $34.6 million dead-cap hit into about $13.3 million for 2026 and $21.2 million for 2027, yielding only about $1.3 million of 2026 cap relief.
- Aiyuk tore his ACL in 2024 and missed the 2025 season as relations with the team deteriorated, with George Kittle describing how Aiyuk stopped attending meetings during his rehab.
- Speculation continues to link Washington as a potential destination, likely on a short-term prove-it deal, while Spotrac’s Mike Ginnitti predicts a June 2 release and characterizes the delay as the team’s choice.