Brandon Aiyuk is finally doing what he should have done months ago, and now the ball is firmly back in the 49ers’ court. This isn’t some minor administrative hiccup, folks, this is a full-blown roster dilemma with serious financial stakes for the Niners.
The 49ers’ Impossible Choice
Once the league officially reinstates Aiyuk from the reserve/left squad list, a move that is reportedly just administrative, the 49ers have a brutal decision to make. They can either put him straight onto the active roster, try to trade him, or cut him loose entirely. And trust me, none of these options are easy given the situation. There’s even a wildcard: San Francisco could get a roster exemption. That would buy them some precious time and, critically, force Aiyuk to actually show up for a physical to see what’s what. If he fails that physical, the Niners could deem it a non-football injury. This would let them park him on the reserve/NFI list and simply not pay him a dime. Talk about tough love.
Why Trading Aiyuk Is a Pipe Dream
Now, a trade *could* theoretically happen before Tuesday’s deadline, but let’s be real. The source calls it “highly unlikely,” and for good reason. For any team to take Aiyuk on, he would have to restructure his contract down to the league minimum, or at least super close to it. Why? Because his 2026 base salary is a whopping $26.150 million. That’s a massive number to swallow for a team looking to acquire a player who’s been in this kind of limbo. It’s hard to imagine another squad jumping at that, especially with a required restructure.
So, here we are. The clock is ticking towards Tuesday’s deadline, and the 49ers have a monumental decision on their hands regarding Brandon Aiyuk and that eye-watering salary. What they do next is going to set a precedent, for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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