There finally appears to be some concrete evidence surrounding what the San Francisco 49ers' plans are with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Over the last few weeks, the disgruntled and AWOL receiver has taken potshots at the Niners on social media, only to delete many of his posts and putting up another, suggesting he'd be "coming to an end zone near [you]."
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio subsequently theorized this meant Aiyuk finally received the news he'd been waiting for: San Francisco was preparing to release him soon, thereby allowing him to sign with whatever team (likely the Washington Commanders) that offered him a contract.
A day after Florio's take, NFL insider Jason La Canfora backed up the assessment with a report that effectively confirmed the former's conclusion.
Jason La Canfora: 49ers are 'finally prepared to move on from' Brandon Aiyuk
Writing for Sportsboom and citing several league sources, La Canfora reported the 49ers are preparing to release Aiyuk at some point before training camp kicks off in late July:
The San Francisco 49ers, after a protracted and personal battle with receiver Brandon Aiyuk, are finally prepared to move on from him, according to multiple league sources.
It’s been widely known throughout the league for quite some time that Aiyuk had no future with the 49ers, and any attempts to land anything for him have been undermined by his off-field behavior. There are certainly concerns about his demeanor and health at this point, and Aiyuk’s next time will not be making any long-term commitment to him.
The Niners had been holding out hope for a trade, but highlighting what La Canfora pointed out above, no trade was ever likely to materialize. Plus, with 31 other teams knowing fully well San Francisco would eventually release him, Aiyuk's trade value couldn't be any lower than it is right now.
Of course, an outright release doesn't automatically guarantee a team like Washington will bite. There remain concerns about his health after 2024's torn ACL and MCL, whether or not he's in football shape and how badly things degraded between him and the 49ers ever since.
However, for those eagerly wishing for an end to what's been an ugly saga between Aiyuk and the Niners, La Canfora's report ultimately points to that being imminent.
Add us as a preferred source on Google