After the disagreements last year involving Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers, it’s understandable that any team interested in trading for the troubled receiver and his substantial $120 million contract would want to secure him. But there’s a hitch—no one can seem to get in touch with him.
The latest twist in this ongoing saga unfolded recently. Although Aiyuk has hinted he wouldn’t play for the 49ers again, the team has opted not to release him. Instead, they are looking for some value through a trade.
General manager John Lynch even goofed around during a post-draft press conference by pretending to pick up a phone, publicly urging the other 31 teams to reach out, saying he’s available.
But now we’re seeing why it’s tricky to find trade partners. Reports suggest that while the Niners might be open to discussions, Aiyuk is seemingly unwilling. One NFL source mentioned, “We’re not just going to let him go unless we think we can get something valuable in return. The problem is, teams don’t want to take on that contract, especially when they can’t even talk to him.”
Aiyuk’s situation led the 49ers to cancel the remaining guaranteed money on his contract, though he still has about $85 million left for the next three seasons. Despite the team’s attempts to reach him, Schefter mentioned they were having a tough time making contact.
Interestingly, there are hints Aiyuk wants to be released so he can sign with the Commanders, where his former college teammate, Jaden Daniels, plays quarterback. This could shed light on why he isn’t pushing for a trade. It’s worth noting, however, that this kind of behavior isn’t entirely surprising for someone who was a top draft pick from Arizona State.
Tight end George Kittle shared that Aiyuk vanished from the facility in November after reports surfaced about the contract’s guaranteed money being voided. Before that, he had stopped coming to the locker room, mostly just visiting the weight room for rehab following a torn ACL sustained shortly after he signed a four-year contract extension.
At 28, Aiyuk hasn’t seen game time since his injury and appears to have distanced himself from the 49ers, if not the NFL entirely. Coach Kyle Shanahan revealed in December that it felt like “an eternity” since he last met with Aiyuk. Kittle, a strong supporter during contract talks, noted he only received one text from Aiyuk after his Achilles injury during the playoffs, which was unfortunately their only communication since then.
