The San Francisco 49ers made it easier to move on from injured wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason by voiding his guaranteed money for 2026—including a $24.9 million option bonus—in July. The Athletic first reported the decision last week, immediately sparking speculation about Aiyuk's future with the franchise and whether he has already played his final snap for the Bay Area NFL team.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, tension between Aiyuk and the 49ers may stem—at least, in part—from how the receiver handled his rehab from the torn ACL and MCL he suffered in October 2024.
"A few people I've checked with believe an issue was Aiyuk's failure to show up for rehab appointments during the offseason," Fowler reported. "Either he didn't trust the trainers or didn't want to show up. Either way, an unwillingness to properly rehab a significant knee injury as the team sees fit is typically easy grounds for a guarantee void."
Most around the league expect the situation to ultimately lead to Aiyuk's release. However, Fowler notes that a trade—while less likely—shouldn't be ruled out, even with the severity of Aiyuk's injury.
"A few teams I spoke to believe Aiyuk is slightly more tradeable with the voided guarantees, though with the option money still technically on the books, reworking his deal altogether would be the preferred method," Fowler wrote. "And Aiyuk might not want that. Getting released and hitting free agency in March would be the cleanest path for him -- and he would have suitors. He's only 27 and had 1,342 yards in 2023."
Could the 49ers trade Mac Jones?
San Francisco protected itself at quarterback by signing Mac Jones to a two-year deal, giving the team control of his rights through the 2026 season. Jones' performance while filling in for injured starter Brock Purdy has only boosted his value and may turn him into a legitimate trade target next offseason.
Jones threw for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions across eight starts while Purdy recovered from turf toe. During that stretch, the former first-round draft pick surpassed 300 passing yards three times and posted five multi-touchdown games.
Fowler highlighted Jones as one of the top potential trade candidates among high-end backup quarterbacks.
"Two interesting names from the high-end QB2 realm are San Francisco's Mac Jones and Houston's Davis Mills," Fowler wrote. "Both are under contract in 2026 at reasonable salaries. Jones has played his way into real trade value for San Francisco, which might be able to parlay a Day 2 pick for him."
The 49ers will eventually have to decide what matters most in 2026: adding another draft pick or keeping a trusted, experienced backup behind Purdy. It's hard to imagine San Francisco being 8-4 at this point without Jones on the roster.