New NFL Rumors on Brandon Aiyuk's Trade Value amid 49ers Standoff, Instagram Videos and Injury Rehab

A breakup between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk seems inevitable at this point, and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported multiple teams could be waiting for his release so they don't have to give up assets in a potential trade.

"Brandon Aiyuk, he's got the natural tie-in with Jayden Daniels, his teammate at Arizona State. But this one is complicated because really it's a standoff between the 49ers and Aiyuk," Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter. "He's essentially considered untradeable because of his bloated contract, and he didn't rehab with the team, and it's gotten pretty ugly. You've seen some of the Instagram videos. And so right now if he shows up, reports to the team at any point, then maybe they can get the process started of releasing him or getting some sort of parting of ways at this point, which is expected. 

"Now, teams like Washington or anybody else who may look at receivers; you know Baltimore's been a little thin there, Kansas City. Whoever gets involved, they're probably not going to trade for him, they're going to wait for him to get released and then he's not going to have the market he had a couple of years ago, but he could still bring value as a former top-10 receiver."

Aiyuk, who signed a four-year, $120 million contract with San Francisco after helping lead the team to the Super Bowl during the 2023 campaign, has not played since suffering a torn ACL and MCL in 2024.

There has been no shortage of tension between the wide receiver and the team since.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported there was an "escalating last July when the 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money in his contract because he did not participate in rehab sessions for the torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee."

What's more, the team placed him on the reserve/left team list in December, and general manager John Lynch previously said the receiver has played his final snap with the team.

While a trade would work out better for the 49ers so they could get something back in return, Aiyuk made headlines this offseason by posting multiple videos on social media.

In a deleted one, he said, "You wanna know why they really mad though? They mad because they stupid. They mad because they paid me $50 million in eight months. And then voided my guarantees for 2027. And I'm about to be on a new team in 2026. They mad at themselves."

He also released another one more recently of him dancing and a caption that said, "Coming to a endzone near 🫵!!"

The Washington Commanders would be a logical destination seeing his connection to Daniels and the overall need for another playmaker outside of Terry McLaurin. Aiyuk has been away from the field for some time, but he also finished with 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns during his last full season in 2023.

If he could return to form, he would be an important addition for any offense in need of outside weapons, such as the Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.

First, though, there needs to be a solution between him and the 49ers so those potential landing spots can move forward with their offseason plans.