49ers and Brandon Aiyuk in Trade Stalemate as NFL Draft 2026 Looms The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remain locked in a trade stalemate as the 2026 NFL season approaches, with both sides delaying decisions amid financial and contractual considerations. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the 49ers have not moved Aiyuk, who last played in 2024, due to the team’s plan to release him before he earns his full salary for the 2026 season. Graziano noted that teams are hesitant to act because they anticipate the 49ers will eventually cut Aiyuk, making it advantageous to wait for a potential trade or free-agent opportunity. The 49ers’ decision to void Aiyuk’s 2026 guaranteed salary of $24.94 million last summer, following his absence from team-mandated rehab for a knee injury that ended his 2024 season, has created flexibility. This move, made before Aiyuk spent the entire 2025 season on the sidelines, means the team could either trade him before June 1 or cut him, incurring about $2 million in dead cap penalties. However, if the 49ers keep Aiyuk past September 1 without exercising his 2026 option bonus, his salary would rise to approximately $26 million in 2027, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Wagoner highlighted that the 49ers are unlikely to retain Aiyuk beyond September, and any trade would require him to agree to a restructured contract with the acquiring team. This complicates negotiations, as teams interested in acquiring Aiyuk may prefer to wait until he is released by the 49ers. At that point, they could offer him a new contract without sacrificing draft picks. Aiyuk’s last fully healthy NFL season was in 2023, during which he recorded 1,342 receiving yards in 16 games.#san_francisco_49ers #washington_commanders #adam_peters #brandon_aiyuk #nfl_draft_2026
