Rapoport expects 49ers-Brandon Aiyuk drama to drag on through the summer

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk raised eyebrows over the weekend with a series of social media posts, including a photo of himself wearing a Washington Commanders hat and a video that appeared to take aim at his current team.

Aiyuk clearly would love to be released. However, the 49ers have little incentive to grant that wish immediately, as it would allow Aiyuk time to acclimate to a new team. San Francisco continues to hold out hope that a receiver-needy franchise might be willing to offer compensation—any compensation—in a trade.

That scenario appears increasingly unlikely, though, given Aiyuk's contract situation and recent actions.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport doesn't expect a quick resolution.

"I think we'd all like to avoid some similar IG messaging from Brandon Aiyuk," Rapoport said. "We'd rather the situation be settled rather than have this drag on through the summer, but that's the way I see this going on."

The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract extension before the 2024 season. Not long afterward, the receiver suffered ACL and MCL injuries that derailed his campaign. San Francisco hoped Aiyuk would return in 2025, but that never materialized. The team ultimately placed him on the reserve/left squad list after he cut off communication with the organization.

"First of all, here's what the San Francisco 49ers would like: they have his rights, he's not due any guaranteed money because he forfeited that by not showing up to his rehab," Rapoport said. "So, they would like to trade him, probably to the Commanders, with his old friend [QB] Jayden Daniels and an organization that obviously knows him well, considering [GM] Adam Peters was in San Francisco, and all that."

The challenge for San Francisco is that potential suitors, including Washington, understand the 49ers may eventually have no choice but to release Aiyuk if a trade market never develops. Teams could be more willing to offer the receiver a short-term prove-it deal than absorb the remainder of his current contract.

"What the Commanders would like to do is sign him without having to trade him," Rapoport said. "So, we're in a situation where nobody wants to move at all. They're all staring at each other. There's really no deadline to make a move at all. So, until and unless everyone gets tired of Brandon Aiyuk sending Instagram messages, this is going to be a storyline that takes us through the summer."