Once upon a time, the 49ers were waiting until the league year began before they released—or possibly traded—Brandon Aiyuk. We live in a different world now, one where Aiyuk, without any guaranteed money left on his contract, remains on the 49ers with no end in sight.
As you might guess, many are wondering what the deal is. Free agency is in full swing, and all the big signings have happened. So what gives?
Obviously, one reaction is that the 49ers are holding Aiyuk hostage. Call it “punishment” for his actions in 2025, such as missing rehab appointments, and the contract drama in 2024. Right now, the 49ers could theoretically hold onto him until the rest of the league figures out its 2026 rosters and then release him.
A former 49ers cornerback thinks it might be the other way around.
“I don’t think so,” Richard Sherman said on his podcast. “I think it’s the opposite.”
If traded, a team would be on the hook for Aiyuk’s 2026 salary—an estimated $1.2 million base that is not guaranteed—before factoring in $750,000 per-game roster bonuses. If Aiyuk plays every game, those bonuses alone push his earnings to around $15 million. His salary rockets in 2027 and 2028 to estimated amounts of $27.2 million and $29.1 million, respectively. Sure, a team could take him for one year and cut him, but it’s still a large amount of money for a player who hasn’t seen the field since 2024.
“What would Brandon Aiyuk fetch in free agency right now?” Sherman said. “Coming off a major injury, no tape for this season, whatever you feel about his reputation with the San Francisco 49ers or the league. His contract right now is for almost $30 million a year. If they cut him, the contract’s torn up and thrown away. Someone is going to re-sign him on a one-year prove-it deal. Six, seven million dollars, maybe eight, up to 12—whatever you think it is. I don’t know what the numbers would be, but it wouldn’t be 30.”
One possible destination would be the Washington Commanders. Given Commanders general manager Adam Peters’ history with the 49ers and Aiyuk’s reported interest in playing with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, it’s a logical landing spot. ESPN’s John Keim mentioned it as well, but is skeptical that a prove-it deal, let alone a trade for Aiyuk’s current contract, would happen:
One intriguing name could be San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk. Multiple team sources said Washington is well aware of Aiyuk’s desire to play with Daniels. But Aiyuk remains under contract and the Commanders would be unlikely to trade for him or, when free, sign him to anything other than a one-year, prove-it deal.
“Let’s talk about the Commanders,” Sherman said, bringing up the same rumor. “Since that’s the team he’s linked to most often. If they trade him to the Commanders, he’s under the contract that he signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Not a one-year prove-it deal. Now there’s no guaranteed money, so it’d technically be a one-year prove-it deal, but it would be a one-year prove-it deal for, I think, $27 million.”
Is Aiyuk holding out hope the Commanders take him? Or is he just wanting to be traded with his current contract intact?
If the Commanders won’t take Aiyuk for even a prove-it deal as Keim suggests, maybe clutching that contract and hoping a team will pay the salary might be a pipe dream, but it may also be what he wants. That would ensure he’s not playing on a $500,000 salary in 2026—a massive pay cut.
“I’m sure the agent is in those conversations and everybody else,” Sherman said. “Would you rather be cut and try to re-sign and convince a team, coming off a knee injury, that ‘hey I’m worth $30 million’ or just trade your contract and go play under this contract that you already signed?”
So if the 49ers trade Aiyuk and that undesirable contract, they would be getting at best a seventh-round pick. They get a draft pick, and Aiyuk keeps his salary. Everybody wins. Obviously, Aiyuk has to agree to the trade, something he has been reluctant to do in the past.
Sherman still thinks the decision is in both teams’ best interests.
“If you can get a seventh-round pick, that works in your best business interests, and it also works in Brandon Aiyuk’s best business interests because he gets paid what he would have gotten paid last year.”
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