The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to move on from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason. It seems like a foregone conclusion that he will be playing elsewhere during the 2026 NFL season.
After sitting out the entire 2025 season for the 49ers due to recovering from a torn ACL and having a broken relationship with the franchise, frustration has run high with Aiyuk.
While the team will almost certainly move on from him at some point this offseason, San Francisco has not shown interest in rushing that move. The 49ers seem content to wait out the offseason and release him when they’re ready.
That being said, a reporter has taken to social media to sound off about the situation between San Francisco and Aiyuk.
San Francisco 49ers Reporter Weighs in on Brandon Aiyuk Situation
David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard has put his full support behind the 49ers. He has zero problem with the team not releasing Aiyuk early in free agency.
“The 49ers paid Brandon Aiyuk $48 million for 7 games,” Lombardi wrote on X. “They’ve paid more than enough for the contractual control that allows them to cut ties with him when is best for them.”
With Aiyuk’s tenure with San Francisco coming to an end, he will finish with 69 total games played with the 49ers. In those appearances, he caught 294 passes for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 14.6 yards per reception.
Aiyuk’s likely future seems to be a poorly-kept secret. He is expected to join his close friend Jayden Daniels on the Washington Commanders. The expectation is that he would receive a one-year contract from the Commanders, but other teams could try to get involved as well.
It Didn’t Take Long for the 49ers to Replace Brandon Aiyuk
Early on in NFL free agency, San Francisco took a huge swing. John Lynch was able to sign former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans to a lucrative three-year, $60.4 million contract.
Immediately, Evans becomes the clear go-to target for star quarterback Brock Purdy. Even if Aiyuk was healthy, Evans is a clear-cut upgrade.
Evans missed most of last season due to injury problems. However, he had produced 11 straight seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards before the 2025 campaign. He will look to pick up where he left off with the 49ers.
San Francisco could still be in the market for another wideout. Perhaps a reunion with Deebo Samuel could be on the table. Behind Evans, the 49ers currently have Ricky Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson.
Expect to see San Francisco remain aggressive this offseason. Lynch and company are clearly going all-in on competing for a Super Bowl run next season. Adding another weapon for Purdy wouldn’t hurt that goal.
