49ers' owner envisions a path for Brandon Aiyuk's return

Cam Inman, The Mercury News on Mar 30, 2026

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PHOENIX – Going once, going twice … not so fast, Brandon Aiyuk.

Jed York, the San Francisco 49ers’ owner, suggested Monday that, although Aiyuk still could be traded or released, he could return to a revamped wide receiver corps.

“I don’t think it helps your trade leverage. It’s just, he’s a good football player,” York said at the NFL’s annual meeting. “We paid him. I think we’ve paid him more millions of dollars in snaps that he’s had. I would like to see him play for us.”

Aiyuk has not played since an October 2024 knee injury. After forfeiting $27 million in guarantees for 2026 because of reportedly failing to abide by the 49ers’ rehabilitation plan, he vanished from team premises after September, and he was placed on the reserve/left squad list in December.

Aiyuk produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons before securing a top-rate extension (four years, $120 million) in August 2024 after an often-bizarre standoff.

“We paid him for a reason. I think he’s a really good football player,” York added. “And when you look at the group of people that is there, especially adding guys like Mike (Evans) and Christian (Kirk), who are legit veteran people, that’s a room that can absorb somebody that has had a tough go with our franchise for the last year or so.

“We are making sure that room is what it needs to be, and if B.A. is a part of that room, we’re going to be more talented, and I have no problem with that. I hope he’s doing well personally and I hope I get to see him soon.”

York couched his comments, however, that Aiyuk first must prove he’s healthy and capable of playing. He appeared on an encouraging path to a return to play last August as he shadowed receivers in warmups.

Earlier Monday, coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t indicate that Aiyuk would be welcome back after going incommunicado last season. Shanahan did not declare when Aiyuk would be leaving the team that spent a 2020 first-round pick on him.

“Don’t have a date. Eventually it will resolve itself,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully we can get something for it. We’re in no rush. We have to do what’s right for the 49ers.”

The 49ers replenished their receiving corps in free agency this month, adding Evans and Kirk to complement a young corps that includes 2025 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, as well as Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins.

“B.A. is a very talented guy. I would love to be able to bring him back into the fold, and, if not, I think he’s a valuable asset that other teams would want,” York added, “and we’re going to make sure we get value and get talent into our building.”

Aiyuk’s 2026 salary is $1.2 million and he would count $14.6 million against the salary cap; he’d count $29 million if released or traded before June 1, or half that afterward, per OverTheCap.com.

Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings served as the 49ers’ primary receivers during repeated playoff runs in recent seasons.

“We had three guys who kind of ran that position for almost five years, between B.A., Deebo and Jauan,” Shanahan said. “It took us three years to get Deebo going in ’19, B.A. in ’20 and Jauan in ’21. We kind of rode with those three for a while and had a hell of a ride with those guys.

“Love the guys we have in our group,” Shanahan added. “We do have young guys who are trying to show they can stay healthy and play in this league, guy that I know that will, but they haven’t fully done it yet. To add some other guys that have done it makes for a good combination.”

____