49ers' Latest Brandon Aiyuk Move Amid Trade Rumors Will Turn Heads

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The 49ers placed Brandon Aiyuk on the PUP list ahead of training camp as trade rumors continue to swirl

The past year or so has been quite hectic for the San Francisco 49ers when it comes to the handling of their star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. After engaging in drawn-out contract talks last offseason, they eventually signed him to a four-year, $120 million contract, only for him to struggle out of the gate last season before suffering a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7, which cut his season short.

All throughout this time, Aiyuk has seen his name pop up in trade rumors, which has continued into the month of July now. While it doesn’t seem all that likely San Francisco will deal him at this stage of the game, their latest move involving their top pass catcher caught the attention of fans as training camp draws near.

49ers Place Brandon Aiyuk on PUP List

The No. 25 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Aiyuk fully broke out for the Niners in 2023, when he racked up 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. After taking a backseat of sorts behind guys like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle in the passing game to begin his career, Aiyuk emerged as one of their most important weapons during San Francisco’s run to Super Bowl LVIII.

For whatever reason, Aiyuk struggled before his aforementioned injury last year, catching just 25 passes for 374 yards while also failing to find the endzone in seven games of action. Considering how hesitant the 49ers’ front office was to give him his aforementioned $120 million contract last offseason, Aiyuk’s name once again popped up in a plethora of trade rumors.

While Samuel ended up getting traded to the Washington Commanders, Aiyuk has stayed put, as San Francisco is hoping he can return to form once he gets back on the field for them. However, it will take some extra time, as Aiyuk is still rehabbing. With that in mind, the team placed him and fellow wide receiver Ricky Pearsall on the Physically Unable to Perform list ahead of the start of training camp.

“The 49ers have placed six players on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, including WR Brandon Aiyuk,” the 49ers officially announced in a post on X.

49ers Taking it Slow with Brandon Aiyuk Ahead of 2025 Campaign

GettyBrandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.

With Samuel gone, Aiyuk has become even more important to the 49ers’ offense moving forward. While the team’s decision to place him on the PUP list isn’t necessarily a surprise, it shows that they aren’t going to rush him back into action prematurely. However, they are going to need some people for Brock Purdy to throw to in the passing game, as Pearsall is also on the PUP list, and Jauan Jennings recently requested a trade if the front office isn’t willing to give him a new deal.

Heading into training camp, San Francisco’s group of offensive playmakers is a bit of a mess, but that won’t matter as long as the team is ready to go for Week 1. Aiyuk still needs a bit of time to get himself back on the field, and while the trade rumors continue to linger, all signs point to him remaining with the 49ers for the 2025 season.

Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen serves as the Lead NFL Editor at ClutchPoints while also working as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli