49ers Expected To Cut WR Brandon Aiyuk, Commanders Likely To Sign

According to Nick Wagoner, the 49ers are expected to cut WR Brandon Aiyuk with a post-June 1 designation, and the Commanders are likely to sign him to a one-year “prove it” deal. 

San Francisco parting with Aiyuk was bound to happen this offseason following their falling out in 2025, while Wagoner notes that they had to wait for the new league year to toll, and a move could occur as soon as today. 

Wagoner notes that the 49ers will incur dead money charges of $13.325 million in 2026 and $21.247 million in 2027. They will get credit for $4.987 million in cap toward 2027. 

The embattled wide receiver suffered a horrific knee injury midway through the 2024 season and has not played since, despite the expectation that he would be able to return in the latter half of the 2025 season.

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch have both publicly said that Aiyuk has played his last snap for their team, which is unusually forthright about the future of one of their former star players. Throughout the offseason and into the season itself, Aiyuk’s relationship with the organization deteriorated to the point where he was ignoring calls from the coaching staff and had cut off all contact with the 49ers.

It’s a pretty unprecedented situation in recent NFL history. In 2024, San Francisco signed him to a four-year, $120 million deal with a $30 million average per year. Reports since then indicated the 49ers had pretty immediate buyer’s remorse, and the torn ACL didn’t help matters. He was available on the trade market last summer, but due to the injury and salary, there were no takers. 

Aiyuk, 28, was a one-year starter at Arizona State and earned first-team All-Pac 12 in his final season. The 49ers traded up with the Vikings to select him with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

He signed a four-year, $12,531,342 rookie contract that included a $6,673,703 signing bonus. The 49ers picked up his fifth-year option last year that cost them $14,124,000 fully guaranteed for the 2024 season. 

Aiyuk officially agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension that includes $76 million guaranteed after a lengthy period in which he was nearly traded to the Steelers.

In 2024, Aiyuk appeared in seven games for the 49ers and caught 23 passes for 351 yards receiving and no touchdowns.

We’ll have more on Aiyuk as the news is available.