49ers Anticipate Parting with Aiyuk, No Rush on Move

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Monday at the NFL's annual meetings in Phoenix that the team anticipates parting ways with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk but has no immediate timeline for the move. Shanahan emphasized the organization's patience in seeking a trade partner to receive value in return, rather than rushing to release the 28-year-old player.

Aiyuk, a first-round pick out of Arizona State in the 2020 NFL Draft, has not played since suffering a severe knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season against the Kansas City Chiefs. The injury included tears to his ACL and MCL, along with meniscus damage, sidelining him for the remainder of that year and the entire 2025 campaign. He was placed on the reserve/left squad list in December 2025. During his rehabilitation, Aiyuk stopped attending the team's facility last summer, leading the 49ers to void the guaranteed portion of his 2026 contract salary, valued at more than $25 million. The player did not challenge the decision through a formal grievance with the NFL Players Association.

"I don't have a date," Shanahan said when asked about a potential release or trade. "We're in no rush to do that. Eventually,...