The San Francisco 49ers have been pretty clear about wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's status with the franchise throughout this drawn-out saga. General manager John Lynch made it clear that hasn't changed when speaking to the media before training camp.
As speculation linking Aiyuk with a move to the Washington Commanders diminishes, Lynch once again outlined that the Niners are focusing on who they have. The wideout is no longer part of their plans, even if he is still technically employed by the organization. That's about all there is to it right now.
“Brandon (Aiyuk) is on a left-squad designation. As such, he's not on our 90-man roster. I personally, and we as an organization, are going to focus on the players that are here. And so, I don't have anything to say on that, anything to add to that. We wish him well. We wish his family well.”
Lynch has never been in any great hurry to remove Aiyuk from the equation. The Niners are losing nothing by keeping him on the books in the slim hope someone comes forward with a trade offer. But after his ill-advised actions on social media in recent weeks, those chances are nonexistent.
Brandon Aiyuk's fate in San Francisco is sealed, but the Commanders are no sure thing either
What the Commanders eventually make of that will be telling. Aiyuk throwing shade at quarterback Jayden Daniels was not part of the script, and it instantly turned off some Washington fans who were previously clamoring for the move. There is a lot of hearsay without much substance, but the only guarantee is that the Arizona State product has played his last game in San Francisco.
Nobody knows for sure what general manager Adam Peters is thinking about it all. That's the way he likes it, but from the outside looking in, the risks may be greater than any reward.
Aiyuk has nobody to blame but himself. There was a clear, obvious route if he wanted to engineer a switch to the Commanders in time for the 2026 campaign. He didn't take it, instead making some questionable choices that can only be described as self-sabotage.
And that's being nice.
Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan grew tired of Aiyuk's act a long time ago. And until he applies for reinstatement, that's the way it's going to stay.
The lack of self-awareness Aiyuk has displayed this offseason is astonishing. He seems to have alienated everyone, and some are now questioning just how much he actually wants to play. That's not Lynch's problem, because the pass-catcher is not part of their equation anymore.
And it's starting to look like he will never be part of Washington's, either.
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