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Brandon Aiyuk

49ers Rumors: DE Trade, Warner, Aiyuk, Bosa

October 26th, 2025 at 11:37am CST by Rory Parks

Despite another barrage of injuries to marquee players, the 49ers are 5-2 and in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West. Following the season-ending ACL tear that standout pass rusher Nick Bosa sustained in Week 3, GM John Lynch said the club would look to the trade market for reinforcements on the edge (comments he seemed to walk back to an extent in the wake of the potentially season-ending ankle injury that star linebacker Fred Warner suffered in Week 6). 

Now, offseason trade acquisition Bryce Huff – whose role had increased with Bosa on the sidelines – is set to miss some time due to a hamstring ailment. Notwithstanding the remarks he made after the Warner injury, Lynch is surely doing his due diligence on EDGE players who might be available via trade, and he conceded he will pull the trigger if the right opportunity presents itself. That has not happened yet, but it could.

When asked about the possibility of adding a defensive end, Lynch told KNBR radio, “[w]e don’t have to … But we have plenty in this building … We’ll hold down the fort until [Huff’s hamstring is healed]. If it can help our team we won’t hesitate to do it. But nothing has presented itself that aligns completely to this point” (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News). 

The trade deadline is a little more than a week away, and talks around the league will surely heat up as November 4 draws nearer. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that teams with pass rushers to deal are (understandably) seeking significant compensation in return for their premium-position talent. Prospective buyers, meanwhile, are hoping the price will come down in the upcoming days, leading Fowler to believe the EDGE market could be a late-forming one. 

As Lynch continues to survey that market, he could soon get some much-needed good news on the injury front. After a disappointing September update on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s ACL and MCL tears – which he suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 campaign – recent reports suggested the club was targeting a November return for the 2020 first-rounder. It still seems that is the case, as head coach Kyle Shanahan recently told reporters (including ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that Aiyuk could begin practicing as early as this week. Whenever San Francisco opens Aiyuk’s practice window, it will have up to 21 days to activate him. Failing that, he will revert to season-ending injured reserve.

Surgeons whom Matt Barrows of The Athletic consulted said Warner could be healthy enough to return for the playoffs should the Niners qualify, and Lynch confirmed as much. Per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, the GM did not rule out the possibility of a postseason return for Warner.

Bosa, on the other hand, is definitely done for the rest of the regular season and any potential postseason contests. Wagoner reported at the end of September that Bosa’s surgery on his torn ACL went well, and Barrows said the Niners could see up to $9MM in cap savings as a result of the insurance policy they took out on Bosa’s mega-deal.

49ers’ George Kittle Has Chance At Week 7 Return; November Reemergence Targeted For Brandon Aiyuk

October 14th, 2025 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Once again battered by injuries, the 49ers have still managed to reach 4-2 despite a spree of setbacks for the second straight season. Pro Bowlers Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Nick Bosa have missed time, and the Fred Warner loss deals a blow the team has not previously encountered.

On the team amid the 2020 and 2024 injury waves, Warner has missed one career game. The All-Pro linebacker has crafted a Hall of Fame-caliber resume during the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan-era surge, but he will undergo surgery Wednesday and joins Bosa in being out for the season. The 49ers are eyeing trades on defense, but their offense is starting to look healthier (even if Jauan Jennings is playing through a significant rib injury).

[RELATED: 49ers Expected To Inquire On Trey Hendrickson Trade]

While Purdy’s status remains murky, Kittle is nearing a return. Shanahan does expect (via 49ers reporter Briana Jeannel) the All-Pro tight end will be designated for return from IR ahead of the Falcons matchup. This would allow the 49ers a ramp-up period, but Shanahan added (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco) the hope is Kittle returns for Week 7.

Although the 49ers’ injury trouble is again mounting, they are not in bad shape yet in terms of IR activations. The team has either seen key players suffer season-ending injuries (Bosa, Warner) or remain on the active roster in week-to-week setups (Purdy, Jennings, Ricky Pearsall). The 49ers did place starting guard Ben Bartch on IR, and he is eligible for activation this week. It is uncertain if Bartch will join Kittle in being designated for return.

Kittle went down with a hamstring injury in Week 1. The likely Hall of Fame-bound pass catcher suited up for 15 games last season and did not miss any time due to injury in 2023. Playing in at least 14 games in 2021 and ’22, Kittle has not missed this much time in a season since being part of the 49ers’ spate of maladies in 2020. He missed eight games that season, suffering a sprained knee and fractured foot during San Francisco’s 6-10 season.

With Pearsall on the active roster, the 49ers are moving closer to full strength after seeing both their top two receivers go down early this season. San Francisco’s true No. 1 receiver, however, remains on the reserve/PUP list. Brandon Aiyuk‘s timetable has been pushed back a bit. Week 6 was floated months ago as a loose return window, but that has come and gone. Shanahan has now mentioned Week 10 as an updated window (via Maiocco) but stopped short of providing a firm timetable.

Out since October 20, 2024 with an ACL tear, Aiyuk has been in rehab mode after the tear was not deemed clean. Joining Kittle in suffering an injury shortly after an offseason extension, Aiyuk has been unable to build on the second-team All-Pro season he produced in 2023. John Lynch said in late September the sixth-year veteran was “not close” returning, but Shanahan’s update does provide a semi-positive sign a reemergence near the midseason point is still in play.

Like the IR-return process, the 49ers would have a 21-day period to observe Aiyuk in practice before activating him. Given the length of Aiyuk’s rehab process, it would surprise if he suited up the week he was designated for return. It should be expected, based on this timeline, Aiyuk would be in the PUP-return window soon. But the 49ers will continue to make do with a ravaged receiver depth chart for the time being. Though, Kittle’s return will help the passing attack considerably while Aiyuk hits the recovery homestretch.

John Lynch: 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk ‘Not Close’ To Return

September 25th, 2025 at 1:40pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

49ers general manager John Lynch said that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is “not close” to returning to the field from last year’s devastating knee injury.

“There’s no absolutes on these things,” said Lynch on Wednesday (via KNBR). “He’s gotta continue to hit markers. He’s tracking well, we’ll be a better team when Brandon’s out there.”

Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 last year, setting him up for a lengthy recovery process that will extend well into this season. In August, Lynch said that there was no timetable for Aiyuk’s return, while head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that the veteran wideout could return around Week 6.

Aiyuk started the season on the physically unable to perform list, making him ineligible to practice until next week. He would then have three weeks to be activated to the 53-man roster or revert to season-ending injured reserve, a situation the 49ers will want to avoid. Lynch’s comments further indicate that Aiyuk won’t be back anytime soon, though the veteran receiver was seen working out during a practice last week, per CBS Sports’ Matt Lively.

As a result, San Francisco will continue to work with a thin receiving corps until Aiyuk’s return, as the team has dealt with injuries to Jauan Jennings (ankle, shoulder) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) this year as well. Rookie Jordan Watkins is dealing with a calf injury, but has avoided injured reserve for the time being despite some early prognostications of an extended absence. All three wideouts were absent on Wednesday, though Pearsall said (via KNBR) that he would play “if there was a game today.” Jennings missed every practice last week and didn’t play on Sunday, though the 49ers will certainly be hoping he’s ready to go for Week 4.

Pearsall has impressed amid his teammates’ absences this year, racking up 281 yards in 16 catches through three games. Jennings has 105 yards in his two starts, while Kendrick Bourne has added 70 yards in the last two games. If their WR health issues continue, the 49ers will need Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to step up for their next few games.

49ers Cut 25 Players, Set 53-Man Roster

August 26th, 2025 at 5:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers had some work to do to get down to their initial 53-man roster. The front office achieved that daunting task this afternoon, as the organization announced the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

Activated from active/PUP:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on reserve/NFI:

Placed on reserve/suspended:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on IR:

Punter Thomas Morstead was cut today, but it sounds like the veteran won’t be a free agent for long. Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports that Morstead is expected to re-sign with the organization. The 39-year-old spent the past two seasons with the Jets, including a 2023 campaign where he led the NFL in punts and punting yards.

Barrows also notes that Jacob Cowing made the initial roster but is expected to land on injured reserve as he nurses a hamstring injury. This could open the door for one of the team’s cut WRs to land back on the active roster. That grouping includes Russell Gage, who had more than 1,500 receiving yards for the Falcons between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Elsewhere on offense, Jeff Wilson‘s reunion with the 49ers proved to be short lived after he joined the organization earlier this month. The veteran spent the past two-plus seasons in Miami, but he had a successful run in San Francisco to begin his career. This included a 2020 campaign where he compiled 733 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

Kyle Shanahan Targeting Week 6 Return For Brandon Aiyuk

August 11th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Brandon Aiyuk‘s eventual return to the field is starting to come into focus. While the receiver was previously operating without a return timeline as he recovers from a torn ACL and MCL, coach Kyle Shanahan revealed today that Week 6 would be a rough estimate for the receiver’s activation.

“I kind of view all those guys around the same time,” Shanahan said while also referencing injured safety Malik Mustapha and quarterback Kurtis Rourke (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “Whether it’s Mustafa, whether it’s Rourke or whether it’s Brandon. They’re all at different stages, but where they’re at, I always see ’em around Week 6, which means that could be Week 10, it means it could be Week 5, but that’s the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away. I know it’s not Week 1 or anything like that, so it’s something I’m not really thinking about too much.”

A Week 6 return would be just short of a year absence for Aiyuk, who suffered his season-ending knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 campaign. While we’ve seen a number of players return from this injury in less than a calendar year, Wagoner notes that Aiyuk didn’t suffer a “clean” tear. Still, the receiver is expected to make a full recovery.

Aiyuk is currently on the physically unable to perform list and is destined to remain there through the start of the regular season. As Wagoner notes, Aiyuk has been around the squad throughout training camp, with the veteran working with the team’s young wideouts.

Aiyuk’s absence will certainly be felt. Beyond the subtraction of mainstay Deebo Samuel, the 49ers continue to deal with injuries to their WR corps. Jauan Jennings is without a return date as he continues to nurse a calf injury, and Wagoner reported earlier today that fourth-round rookie Jordan Watkins is now sidelined with a high ankle sprain. That injury is expected to sideline the first-year receiver for a month, putting his status for Week 1 in doubt.

As a result, Brock Purdy is eyeing some questionable targets for the start of the regular season. 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall is expected to initially lead the grouping, and the team could also lean on offseason acquisition Demarcus Robinson and 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing. Otherwise, the rest of the team’s depth consists of the likes of rookie seventh-round pick Junior Bergen, veteran Russell Gage, and former UDFA Terique Owens.

John Lynch: No Return Timetable For 49ers WRs Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings

August 7th, 2025 at 4:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The receiver position remains uncertain in the case of the 49ers with Week 1 drawing closer. Both Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings are sidelined through injury, and in each case there is no firm timeline for a return.

Aiyuk continues to rehab the ACL and MCL tears which ended his 2024 campaign. Throughout the offseason, a main question for San Francisco has been his ability to return to full health in time for the start of the season. Aiyuk has been ahead of schedule, but as of last month a stint on the active/PUP list seemed likely in his case. Such a scenario would ensure at least a four-game absence to begin the campaign.

During a Thursday appearance on KNBR radio, 49ers general manager John Lynch said (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News) he doubts Aiyuk will be able to play in the team’s regular season opener. He confirmed there is still no timetable in place, though, meaning it remains to be seen is an PUP stint will be deemed necessary. Aiyuk has four years remaining on the $30MM-per-year extension he signed last offseason.

Meanwhile, the 49ers continue to wait for Jennings’ return to action. A calf injury has him sidelined against the backdrop of a request for an upgraded contract. Jennings has not officially asked to be traded, per head coach Kyle Shanahan, but a report from last month stated he will seek a change of scenery in the absence of a raise being worked out through an extension. With nothing imminent on that front, Jennings continues to recover.

“Jauan’s working with our health and performance staff, trying to get back out on the field,” Lynch said of the 28-year-old (via David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone). “Jauan got his calf in the offseason, strained it, and calves can kind of linger, unfortunately. And came out, practiced some, and wasn’t feeling great, and so we’ve kind of put him off to the side… Don’t have any timetable, but we’ll see.”

Jennings enjoyed a career year in 2024 as the 49ers dealt with injuries elsewhere on the receiver depth chart. The decision to trade away Deebo Samuel helped set Jennings up for another season in a large offensive role. One year remains on the former seventh-rounder’s contract and he is owed $4MM for 2025. A strong season would help Jennings’ market for next spring, provided no extension is worked out before that point.

2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall is in line to serve as a key figure in San Francisco’s passing attack provided he can remain healthy this season. The team also has veteran Demarcus Robinson and recent signing Robbie Chosen in the mix. Aiyuk and Jennings will each be important elements in the 49ers’ efforts to rebound from last year’s performance, but it is still unclear when either of them will be healthy.

Kyle Shanahan: Jauan Jennings Hasn’t Formally Requested Trade

July 22nd, 2025 at 7:44pm CST by Ben Levine

A report last week indicated that 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings either wanted a new contract or a trade. The veteran is still expected to report to training camp tomorrow, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that his wideout hasn’t formally requested out of San Francisco (per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner).

[RELATED: 49ers WR Jauan Jennings Seeking Extension Or Trade]

Jennings signed a two-year deal last spring that replaced his second-round RFA tender. He proceeded to have a career season as the 49ers navigated a number of injuries. Jennings finished the 2024 campaign with 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns. Set to earn $3.28MM in salary guarantees in 2025 (plus an option bonus of $1.12MM on September 1), the impending free agent is now seeking some long-term security.

With Deebo Samuel no longer on the team and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL, the 49ers are set to be even more dependent on Jennings in 2025. The 49ers front office has dealt with plenty of contract drama at the position in recent years, but Jennings’ lack of track record makes this situation a bit more unique. It remains to be seen if Jennings will carry through with his trade-request threat, and for the time being, it appears both sides will proceed as planned.

If Jennings does suddenly pivot to a holdout or trade request, the 49ers will have to dig even deeper into their depth chart. 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall would likely lead the group, although he’s currently nursing a hamstring issue that landed him on PUP. The team brought in some reinforcement at the position this offseason, signing veterans Demarcus Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins while drafting Jordan Watkins (fourth round) and Junior Bergen (seventh round). The team is also rostering 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing.

The 49ers could also count on an eventual return for Aiyuk, although it sounds like the star receiver’s comeback is still a ways off. GM John Lynch told reporters today that Aiyuk is still “not anywhere close to having a concrete timeline” (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter). Aiyuk suffered his knee injury in late-October, and it seems like he’s destined to miss at least the first four games of the upcoming campaign.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/18/25

July 18th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL transactions as we head into the weekend:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

The Lions have added three players to the roster today after a working them out. Bootle has had a cup of coffee with a few teams in the league after going undrafted in 2021. Small didn’t see the field at all as an undrafted rookie with the Titans last year, and Russell becomes the latest undrafted rookie free agent to sign a deal this year. His tenacity has been rewarded two and a half months after the draft.

49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Likely To Land On Active/PUP List

July 11th, 2025 at 10:17am CST by Adam La Rose

An ACL tear limited Brandon Aiyuk to seven games last season. Given the timing of the injury, it has long been a question with respect to when the 49ers wideout will be able to return to action in 2025.

Time still remains for Aiyuk to continue making progress in his recovery, but at this point it remains unlikely he will be in the lineup at the start of the campaign. During an appearance on KNBR, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area confirmed (via 49ers WebZone) a stint on the reserve/PUP list would come as no surprise in this case. Moving Aiyuk to that list would ensure at least a four-game absence to begin the campaign.

However, Maiocco added Aiyuk’s knee remains ahead of schedule, an update which has been provided more than once this offseason. As a result, the door could still be open to the 27-year-old suiting up in Week 1. The 49ers have made it clear they are satisfied with their current group of receivers – a unit which no longer includes Deebo Samuel – heading into 2025. That is based in large part on the team’s confidence Aiyuk will manage to return to his previous form in short order.

The Arizona State product’s receiving totals increased during each of his first four seasons in San Francisco, including 1,342 in 2024. That improvement made Aiyuk an extension priority for the 49ers, although the long-running process of working out a second contract included a trade agreement being reached which would have sent him to the Steelers. In the end, a four-year pact was signed carrying an average annual value of $30MM to keep Aiyuk in the Bay Area. That makes him one of eight wideouts attached to an AAV of $30MM or more.

Expectations will thus remain high whenever Aiyuk manages to return to the field. The former first-rounder will be tasked with leading a pass-catching group which still features tight end George Kittle and veteran Jauan Jennings but has seen a number of changes in recent years. 2024 No. 31 pick Ricky Pearsall and free agent signing Demarcus Robinson are among the receivers who will be expected to carve out notable roles on offense, particularly while Aiyuk is sidelined.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already said Aiyuk will miss the beginning of training camp, but his ongoing rehab process will be worth watching closely. In the lead-in to the start of the campaign, a decision will need to be made to place him on the reserve/PUP list or leave him on the active roster in the hopes he will be available earlier than Week 5. It will be interesting to see if progress in the coming weeks alters the team’s thinking in this case.

Early-Season Brandon Aiyuk Return In Play; Latest On 49ers’ Jordan Mason Trade

April 13th, 2025 at 1:39pm CST by Rory Parks

Thanks in large part to the $22.85MM roster bonus that vested on April 1, along with the fact that his contract and recent ACL tear have cratered his trade value, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be back with the 49ers in 2025 as both player and team attempt to rebound from a forgettable 2024 season. We recently heard Aiyuk was targeting a return midway through the 2025 slate, but there is some hope he could be back even earlier, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.

“I don’t know,” Kyle Shanahan said at this year’s league meetings. “It’s too early to tell. The goal is always early. You hope to have him right away. We were told by his doctor there’s a chance. But it’s too early in the process and we’ll see when we get closer to training camp and see what it looks like.”

Confirming Aiyuk’s recovery is coming along as planned, GM John Lynch added, “[w]e’re pleased with Brandon’s progress. He’s been working hard and got good reviews from [surgeon] Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache. That was a key marker, as I mentioned it would be. He did well.”

San Francisco lost a great deal of notable talent this offseason thanks to cap constraints, and it also traded away longtime WR Deebo Samuel. After authorizing a four-year, $120MM extension for Aiyuk in August 2024 – on the heels of the receiver’s 75/1,342/7 showing in 2023 – the Niners were reportedly open to dealing the Arizona State product this year as well. While it would not have taken much to convince Lynch to agree to a trade, it seems that even a buy-low offer did not come in.

Meanwhile, Lynch did execute a trade with the Vikings, sending running back Jordan Mason to Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 sixth-rounder and a Day 3 pick swap in the 2025 draft. While the deal may have been motivated in part by finances – the 49ers had applied the second-round RFA tender to Mason, which would have paid him a fully guaranteed $5.3MM in 2025 – the presence of fellow RB Isaac Guerendo also played a role.

“I was impressed with how tough he competed, how hard he ran,” Shanahan said of Guerendo (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required)). “I think he ran harder as the year went (on), which is a really good sign for guys. Because if you run less hard as the year goes on you’re probably not going to be running it too much in the future. I was impressed with the mentality he had.”

That said, injuries have frequently forced Shanahan to plumb the depths of his RB depth chart during his tenure as the Niners’ HC. With the injury-prone Christian McCaffrey due back as the club’s RB1, the 49ers still should be considered likely to use this deep draft class to further bolster this position, Barrows adds. Though, Guerendo flashed at points during an intriguing rookie year. 

Labeling Guerendo as a player with a “bright future,” Shanahan observed the fourth-round pick average five yards per carry and 10.1 per reception. The Wisconsin product totaled 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns during a start against the Bears while adding 99- and 85-yard showings prior to that outing. Guerendo suffered an MCL sprain and a sprained ankle late in the season. By trading Mason, the 49ers dealt away a key backup option. While they are set to turn to a player who clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Combine, more help will likely be en route soon.

McCaffrey had held up for the 49ers between the October 2022 trade and Super Bowl LVIII, but last season reminded of the injury issues the dynamic starter experienced as a Panther. Guerendo should be expected to see steady work off the bench in 2025, and it will be interesting if the 49ers make a notable addition to further insure this position group. Patrick Taylor and Israel Abanikanda round out the 49ers’ RB contingent.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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