The 49ers might have a little extra cap space with the Brandon Aiyuk saga concluding with his guarantees being voided, but that isn't going to necessarily result in a spending spree.
It's sad to see the situation go the way it did, but the inevitable divorce between the San Francisco 49ers and former No. 1 receiver Brandon Aiyuk is all but sealed as he officially will miss the rest of the season, as the Niners offense admittedly has hummed along just fine getting the rest of their stars back.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan also seemed uncharactistically flippant on Aiyuk, stating that Aiyuk being gone for the season "hasn't been an issue with our team at all."
Read More: Kyle Shanahan's brutal comments all but cement Brandon Aiyuk's 49ers future
OK then.
But speaking of flippancy, the real story was the cavalier attitude that Aiyuk took to his recovery that led to the 49ers voiding nearly $27 million in 2026 guarantees. With Aiyuk all but gone, the only starting receiver that's under contact for 2026 is Ricky Pearsall, which makes receiver a bit of a weak point.
Don't expect 49ers to splash the extra cash
San Francisco, under the regime of Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, is traditionally more geared towards free agency, with the occasional big trade that comes in if it makes sense. It's worked well overall in terms of roster construction, and it makes no sense to reinvent the wheel here.
Some people might be keen to push the chips in on a guy like Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson if he was disgruntled at how the Vikings have gone backwards in 2025, but a big trade doesn't seem realistic here.
Getting into a bidding war in free agency doesn't feel likely either.
More than likely, the Niners might instead look internally. Jauan Jennings looked all but gone after the end of this season, but with Aiyuk now the likely departing receiver, doesn't it make more sense to extend the dependable possession receiver? Jennings is more than capable of the No. 2 role next season and is such a dependable security blanket.
In addition Jennings isn't going to require an Aiyuk-esque contract, so any savings left over can be used for other contracts.
It's natural to want to spend the free cash on a big shiny toy, but maybe the dependable option is the better way to go for the 49ers.