In the immediate aftermath of a playoff exit last January, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk already played his final snap with the franchise, effectively bringing down the curtain on what has been a long two years filled with no shortage of drama.
Now, the only question remaining is specifically how the Niners rid themselves of the now-AWOL receiver.
ESPN's Adam Schefter shed some light on the subject late last week when he appeared on Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take podcast, and the league insider laid out how he thinks the absolute final act between San Francisco and Aiyuk will go.
And it won't include a trade.
"He'll be released on the first day of the league year, I would think," Schefter described. "Here's the thing. They had so many trade conversations with so many teams, and I think that they've probably gone back to many of those teams, but the math is different, the situation is different, the way he behaved this year with some of the social media stuff is different. Everything is different."
49ers will (likely) have no luck trading Brandon Aiyuk
Indeed, the 49ers explored trading the 2020 first-round draftee prior to the 2024 season amid tumultuous contract extensions, only to strike a new deal with him at the 11th hour before a would-be trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But, after a lackluster first few weeks, Aiyuk subsequently suffered a serious ACL and MCL injury that not only prematurely ended that year's campaign but also kept him from taking the field in 2025, too.
Tack on the disappearing act, of which head coach Kyle Shanahan explained as essentially unprecedented, and it's fair to state Aiyuk's stock value couldn't be lower.
Of course, there's the remote possibility Lynch and the Niners explore whatever trade avenue they can find to get back something, anything in return. The Washington Commanders were once linked as a suitor because of Aiyuk's collegiate chemistry with quarterback Jayden Daniels, but even that seems like a remote possibility, according to Schefter.
"We don't know what he's physically going to be like. His knee was shredded," Schefter continued. "I can't say that [Washington won't go after him], because him and Jayden Daniels are close, andJayden may push for him. I think that's a possibility. Just go back and look at the teams that the Niners spoke to when they were having trade talks: the Steelers, the Commanders, the Patriots. I would think all of those teams would at least check in on him.
"Now, who's going to move forward? That's a hard thing to say."
In all likelihood, San Francisco likely looks around for a potential trade partner but receives no legitimate interest.
And, as Schefter said, Lynch and the 49ers simply pull the plug with an outright release once the league new year begins.
Hat tip to Mike Masala of Niners Wire for the find.