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The future of Brando Aiyuk remains uncertain as the San Francisco 49ers remain firm that they want a trade to part ways with him rather than releasing the wideout outright.

As a result, Aiyuk’s future is at a standstill, but the player isn’t doing much to force the Niners into making a decision. The former first-round pick has yet to appear at the team’s facilities, and so San Francisco doesn’t need to make a decision and can leave him on the Reserve/Left Squad list.

Nonetheless, if Aiyuk were to start showing up and the 49ers end up releasing him, many believe the Washington Commanders would be the ideal landing spot given his connection with Jayden Daniels.

However, NFL insider Jordan Schultz is pushing back, saying Aiyuk could end up in Washington if the 49ers finally decide to cut him.

“Obviously, [Aiyuk is] not in the building, and they don’t really have to do anything right now,” Schultz said on the May 20 edition of “Yahoo Sports Daily.” “It’s been like that for a while. I remember asking someone in that building, ‘Hey, do you think you’ll trade him during the draft?‘ And it’s been the same answer: ‘Maybe, probably not, who knows?’

“That’s what it’s felt like. He won’t be there next season, and at some point, you’d have to assume he’ll probably be released because everyone knows he’s not going to be there.

“So why would you trade for him? There’s an obvious connection to Washington because of Jayden Daniels, Arizona State and that relationship. But I’m still not convinced that’s going to happen, either.”

Is Brando Aiyuk in Football Shape Ahead of the 2026 Season?

Moreover, Schultz questions whether Aiyuk is the same player from 2023 after tearing his ACL and MCL in his right knee in 2024. The wide receiver didn’t play last season, and there’s hardly any information emerging on whether he’s fit to play football.

“We really don’t know what kind of shape Brandon Aiyuk is in. The fact that he didn’t really play last season is obviously a red flag. He was a great receiver two or three years ago [and] was an All-Pro-caliber receiver. He was excellent. He’s really a terrific player.

“But until we see what kind of shape he’s in and how motivated he is to play football, it’s hard to peg him to a destination. The only thing we know definitively, Jason, is that he won’t be a 49er next season.“

49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk Gets Blunt Advice

While there’s so much speculation surrounding Aiyuk, whether it’s where he’ll play next or if he’s in football shape, on the May 19 edition of the “Rich Eisen Show,“ NFL insider Mike Garafolo shared blunt advice for the wideout. 

“If I could advise Brandon Aiyuk, I would tell him to show up for work,“ Garafolo said. “I would have told him to show up for work a couple of weeks ago. Go ahead and see if they’re willing to let you work out, run routes, and do things at their facility.

“If you’re injured, all of a sudden those guarantees are back, and your money is on their books once again. He did not do that. He has not done that.”