Niners GM John Lynch still hopes to trade Brandon Aiyuk following draft: ‘Give us a call’

Aiyuk has been destined for a San Francisco exit for months now after the crew placed him on the reserve/left squad list in December. Lynch acknowledged in January that it was “safe to say“Aiyuk had performed his final down as a Niner, however the months ticking alongside have achieved nothing to diminish the 49ers’ curiosity in getting one thing for the wideout after getting nothing from him in 2025.

“Not anytime soon,” Lynch mentioned when requested if he was planning on releasing Aiyuk.

It marks the third consecutive offseason that Aiyuk has change into a fixture in trade hypothesis. In 2024, he requested a trade and held in at coaching camp earlier than signing a long-term extensiona deal that didn’t forestall San Francisco from being open to trade him During the 2025 offseason as he recovered from a torn ACL. Now, in 2026 — after Aiyuk by no means took the sphere final season and the player-team relationship deteriorated — Aiyuk appears destined as soon as once more for a new squad.

Although Lynch indicated his willingness to discover a trade accomplice, it’d behoove the 49ers to wait a few extra months to commit to one thing.

San Francisco voided the guaranteed money owed to Aiyuk in 2026 however would still incur $29.6 million in useless cash for the upcoming season by buying and selling him forward of June 1, per Over the Cap. In a post-June 1 trade, they’d solely tackle $8.3 million.

For now, the Niners transfer ahead with a restored WR room, having drafted De’Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 total to accomplice with new addition Mike Evans and third-year wideout Ricky Pearsall.

Lynch is ready for a name.

In the wake of the draft, some crew with a remaining deficit at vast receiver might finally choose up the telephone.