49ers wideout Aiyuk called ‘untradeable’ as June 1 deadline looms
The June 1 deadline is the single most important financial date of the NFL offseason. If a team cuts or trades a player before June 1, it takes the full cap hit right away. After June 1, that hit can be spread over two years, which makes the move much easier to manage.
For teams stuck with ugly contracts, it can be the difference between freeing up space and getting buried by the cap. However, teams can use this designation on only two players each offseason, and in the case of trades, the deal must actually happen after June 1 for the rule to apply.
That brings us to the San Francisco 49ers and one of the messiest situations in the NFL right now.
On Sunday morning, just ahead of the June 1 window, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler delivered a cold dose of reality on SportsCenter regarding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The verdict, straight from rival executives across the league, he’s untradeable.
“Brandon Aiyuk’s future is squarely in limbo right now,” Fowler said. “After June 1st is when the 49ers can save about $20 million on the cap if they were to cut him. I’ve talked to two rival executives who believe that he’s simply untradeable right now.”
“It’s going to be hard to move on because of the knee issue. Didn’t play all last year. He’s kind of ghosted the 49ers at times. They haven’t really had a lot of communication with him. And then you got the contract. If he is released at some point this summer, the 49ers have a clear run rate that can save about $20 million on the cap,” Fowler added. “There will be interest at that point, certainly. Maybe they can salvage his trade. Probably not is my feeling right now.”
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Aiyuk tore his ACL, MCL, and meniscus in Week 7 of the 2024 season, just weeks after signing a four-year, $120 million extension. He landed on PUP at the start of the 2025 campaign and never returned, missing the entire season. He now hasn’t played an NFL snap in nearly 20 months.
The injury alone would be enough. But it’s the relationship breakdown that’s doing the real damage. The 49ers voided the guarantees on Aiyuk’s contract after he reportedly missed team-mandated rehab sessions. That decision wiped out his $24.94 million option bonus for 2026, meaning three years remain on a deal that no longer contains any guaranteed salary.
Fowler noted the communication has been essentially nonexistent, as Aiyuk has ghosted the organization at times, and the franchise has had little ability to manage the situation.
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As of Monday, Lynch can release Aiyuk as a post-June 1 cut, spreading a $35 million dead money charge over the 2026 and 2027 seasons. By deferring half that dead cap hit into next year, the 49ers create real, usable breathing room for 2026.
The problem? Every team in the league knows the 49ers are almost certainly going to have to release him, and so they’re content to wait, knowing they can approach Aiyuk as a free agent without surrendering a single draft pick.
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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 3:33 PM.