Brandon Aiyuk 49ers contract standoff leaves receiver stuck before camp

The Brandon Aiyuk 49ers contract saga is still unresolved as San Francisco heads into training camp, with the wide receiver remaining under team control through the NFL’s reserve/left squad rules, according to CBS Sports salary-cap analyst Joel Corry.

Corry reported that Aiyuk was placed on the reserve/left squad list last December after leaving the team. That designation is rare, and it carries real bite: the player is not paid, cannot play for the rest of that season and has his contract paused until he returns.

Why is Brandon Aiyuk still with the 49ers?

Under the NFL Constitution and Bylaws, players on reserve/left squad are treated as retired, Corry wrote. To return, the player must ask the commissioner for reinstatement, while his last team keeps his contractual rights.

That is the heart of Aiyuk’s problem. Corry reported that Aiyuk is believed not to have begun the reinstatement process, leaving him unable to move freely to another club while the 49ers still hold his rights.

Aiyuk has publicly rejected the idea of going back through San Francisco. “I will not be reinstating with [the 49ers] nor doing any kind of business with them,” Aiyuk said recently, according to 49ers Web Zone.

Corry wrote that a return to the 49ers’ roster process may be required for Aiyuk to restart his NFL career. He also wrote that if Aiyuk had sought reinstatement during the offseason workout period, San Francisco likely would have released him rather than risk being responsible for $26.15 million of his $27 million 2026 salary if he were injured with the team.

How did the contract situation get this messy?

Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the 49ers in August 2024 after tense talks that included a trade request and a training camp hold-in, according to Corry. During the 2024 season, he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee seven games in.

Corry reported that the injury hurt Aiyuk’s trade market when the 49ers explored moving him in the 2025 offseason. The club later voided $27 million in 2026 salary guarantees in late July 2025, according to the report.

Corry wrote that the likely reason was Aiyuk’s alleged breach of his contract by not reporting early to training camp while injured. Under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, injured players can be required to report as many as five days before the mandatory veteran reporting date, Corry noted. He also reported that Aiyuk faced a mandatory $50,000 fine for each missed training camp day.

• August 2024: Aiyuk signs a four-year, $120 million extension with San Francisco.
• 2024 season: He suffers major right knee injuries after seven games.
• 2025 offseason: The 49ers reportedly test the trade market.
• July 2025: San Francisco voids $27 million in 2026 guarantees.
• December 2025: Aiyuk is placed on reserve/left squad.
• July 2026: He remains under contract as camp opens.

What comes next for Aiyuk?

Corry wrote that Aiyuk has openly pushed for a move to the Washington Commanders and announced on social media that he bought a $10 million home in Northern Virginia. Corry also reported that Washington may no longer be a straightforward landing spot because Aiyuk appears to have strained his relationship with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Daniels’ mother, though he noted they could have reconciled privately or been joking publicly.

Aiyuk’s contract also includes a $24.935 million option bonus due Sept. 1 for a 2030 contract year, but Corry wrote that the deal remains tolled while Aiyuk is on reserve/left squad. Because that money is unsecured, Corry’s view is that San Francisco would probably release him quickly if he reports.

For now, the next move appears to be Aiyuk’s. Without reinstatement, Corry wrote, the former second-team All-Pro remains stuck outside the field and outside free agency.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.