Bleacher Report analyst Alex Ballentine recently identified the three most likely salary-cap casualties for each NFL team this offseason, and one name on the San Francisco 49ers' list will come as little surprise: wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

General manager John Lynch has already stated that Aiyuk has likely played his final snap with the 49ers. The receiver suffered ACL and MCL injuries in October 2024, and while the team initially hoped he could contribute at some point in 2025, that return never materialized.


Head coach Kyle Shanahan later revealed that Aiyuk had cut off communication with the organization, prompting the 49ers to place him on the rarely used reserve/left squad list late in the season.

In July 2025, San Francisco voided Aiyuk's guaranteed money for the 2026 season, fueling speculation that a separation was inevitable. Reports indicated that Aiyuk failed to participate in team-directed rehabilitation and meetings, further deepening the rift between the player and the organization.

When asked about the source of Aiyuk's frustration, Lynch offered little clarity.

"I wish I knew. Can't help you there. Sorry," Lynch told reporters.

How the 49ers ultimately handle Aiyuk remains uncertain.


"It's safe to say there isn't much leverage there," Ballentine wrote. "The 49ers voided guarantees in his contract due to failure to complete contract obligations. Aiyuk sat out the entire season while recovering from a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus.

"If the Niners struggle to find a trade partner before the draft, they might want to just wait until June, when they can release the receiver and get back some cap space."

A post–June 1 release would result in approximately $6.3 million in salary-cap savings.

Other potential 49ers cap casualties


The other two players Ballentine identified are defensive end Bryce Huff and center Jake Brendel.

The 49ers acquired Huff in a June 2025 trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished the season with 30 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks, one pass defensed, and two forced fumbles.


"The 49ers took a calculated dice roll when they traded for Bryce Huff," Ballentine wrote. "The pass-rusher was highly successful for the Jets with 10 sacks in 2023 before putting up just 2.5 sacks with Philadelphia in 2024. The deal brought them Huff's upside while also sticking them with the final two years of his contract.

"This year, he played in 15 games and only notched four sacks with another 15 quarterback hits. Huff is a suspect run defender, which puts more emphasis on his pass-rush production. The Niners will have to weigh whether the money they save can be spent better elsewhere."

Brendel's inclusion is more about finances than performance. Shanahan has consistently defended his starting center while dismissing outside criticism.

"I think he's one of the better centers in this league," Shanahan said earlier this month. "I don't think Jake nearly gets enough credit for just how good of a football player he is. Every year we study free agents, we study around the league, and that's where you get to kind of study people, and I've always been very happy with the center that we have."

Ballentine acknowledged Brendel's reliability but questioned his value relative to his contract.


"Truth be told, he's a solid starting center," Ballentine wrote. "However, he's one of a few options that presents real cap savings, and he was graded 31st out of 40 centers in pass-blocking this season."

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