Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Monday that Aiyuk sustained tears to the ACL and MCL in his right knee during Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Aiyuk will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season, ending it with 25 catches (on 47 targets) for 374 yards and no touchdowns in seven games. With Deebo Samuel suffering from pneumonia, Jauan Jennings dealing with a hip issue and Chris Conley tending to a sprained ankle, the 49ers' current healthy wide receivers on the active roster are Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Ronnie Bell.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Believed to be done for 2024
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Tests on Aiyuk's right knee Monday revealed a season-ending injury, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
The exact nature of Aiyuk's injury isn't yet clear, but the fear after Sunday's loss to the Chiefs was that it was a significant injury and possibly a torn ACL. While making a catch, Aiyuk was hit low and high by a pair of Kansas City defenders going opposite directions, forcing Aiyuk's knee to bend the wrong direction. It sounds as if he'll end the 2024 season with 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns across seven games after he held out the entirety of training camp while seeking a contract extension. The 49ers eventually caved and gave the star wideout a four-year, $120 million deal. Deebo Samuel (illness) and George Kittle are likely to carry even more of the target load going forward for San Francisco, and Jauan Jennings (hip) figures to draw back into the starting lineup as an every-down wideout once he's healthy. Rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing and veteran Chris Conley would be next in line for snaps.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Team fears torn ACL
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Coach Kyle Shanahan said after Sunday's 28-18 loss to the Chiefs that the 49ers are worried that Aiyuk tore his ACL, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Aiyuk exited due to a second-quarter knee injury. If further testing confirms a torn ACL, the injury would be season-ending. Aiyuk had two catches for 23 yards on six targets prior to getting hurt Sunday, bringing his season totals to 25 catches for 374 yards.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Injures knee, ruled out Sunday
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Aiyuk won't return to Sunday's contest against the Chiefs due to a knee injury, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Aiyuk picked up the health concern at the end of a 15-yard catch late in the second quarter. He was able to get to the sideline under his own power, but after visiting the sideline tent, he was carted to the locker room at the start of halftime, pointing at his right knee in the process, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. With Jauan Jennings (inactive) and Deebo Samuel (illness) also ruled out, Chris Conley, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Ronnie Bell are the 49ers' current healthy wide receivers.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Quiet night following breakout
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Aiyuk secured two of four targets for 37 yards in the 49ers' 36-24 win over the Seahawks on Thursday night.
On the heels of a season-best eight-catch, 147-yard line in Week 5, Aiyuk disappointingly regressed to the mean just four days later. Outside of the aforementioned breakout performance, Aiyuk hasn't topped 48 receiving yards or five receptions in any of his other five games. Nevertheless, Aiyuk projects to be busier in a Week 7 Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 20, a game where Brock Purdy will likely have to put up more than Thursday night's 28 attempts.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Busts out of slump in big way
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Aiyuk corralled eight of 12 targets for 147 yards in Sunday's 24-23 win over Arizona.
Aiyuk finally delivered for fantasy managers after a slow start following his offseason contract dispute. The dynamic wideout saw both his usage (12 targets) and production reach new highs after failing to reach 50 yards receiving in any of his previous five contests if you include the Super Bowl. Aiyuk will attempt tp keep the momentum from his gaudy performance Sunday rolling into the 49ers' next tilt against the Seahawks on Thursday.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Held under 50 yards again
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Aiyuk had two receptions on five targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 30-13 win over the Patriots.
Aiyuk's early slog through the fantasy schedule continued for a fourth week despite the 49ers picking up a comfortable win over New England. The star receiver has seen his numbers slide down across the board since earning a deserved payday just before the start of the regular season. Aiyuk has yet to top 50 yards or find the end zone in any of his four starts this season, while No. 3 option Jauan Jennings led the team in receiving for the second week running. The 26-year-old Aiyuk has bigger fantasy performances ahead of him, with fantasy managers hoping that breakout moment comes in Sunday's home matchup against the Cardinals.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Set for No. 1 role sans Samuel
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Aiyuk is expected to serve as the 49ers' No. 1 receiver for at least Sunday's game against the Rams after San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Deebo Samuel (calf) is likely to miss "a couple weeks," Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
After holding out for all of training camp and the preseason before finalizing a contract extension with the 49ers in late August, Aiyuk has had a muted role in the San Francisco passing attack though the first two weeks of the season. Though he was back to handling a normal snap share in Week 2 (88 percent), Aiyuk still finished with a modest 4-43-0 receiving line on five targets in this past Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Vikings. Samuel ended up missing just one snap due to the calf strain he suffered with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter and was the busier of the two receivers on the day with an 8-110-0 line on 10 targets, but his expected absence for Week 3 and likely Week 4 should free up more opportunities for Aiyuk. Wideout Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle could also see upticks in targets, but coming off a 1,342-yard season and with a new four-year, $120 million contract in tow, Aiyuk projects to be the primary option in the passing game for quarterback Brock Purdy.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Slow start continues Sunday
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Aiyuk had four receptions (five targets) for 43 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to Minnesota.
Aiyuk was limited to five targets for the second consecutive week but saw his production increase against the Vikings compared to last week's two-catch dud against the Jets. The star wideout's low involvement was foreshadowed by head coach Kyle Shanahan prior to Week 1 after Aiyuk missed the entirety of the preseason schedule while in search of a contract extension. Dual-threat superstar Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) was placed on injured reserve prior to Sunday's tilt and will be missing in action for at least the first six games of the season. Deebo Samuel (8/110/0) and George Kittle (7/76/1) have picked up the slack in the passing game while Aiyuk continues to reintegrate into the game plan. The 49ers have thrown just one touchdown pass through two games this season, so a Week 3 matchup against the Rams could be when we see Aiyuk break out of his early season slump.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Strikes extension with San Fran
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The 49ers and Aiyuk reached an agreement on a four-year, $120 million extension Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
The long offseason and preseason saga surrounding Aiyuk has now reached its conclusion, with the wide receiver reportedly getting $76 million in guaranteed money to stay in the Bay Area. Now that he's locked in with the 49ers for the foreseeable future, he'll be looking to uphold his standard as a 1,000-yard option in San Francisco's offense, something that he's accomplished in both of the past two campaigns.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Absent from practice again
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Aiyuk is not present at Thursday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Aiyuk's absences were a mainstay of training camp for the 49ers, but it's notable for him to still be a non-participant after coach Kyle Shanahan offered hope Wednesday that the wideout would practice soon. Shanahan also stated Wednesday that Aiyuk has been cleared by team doctors, which could be an indication that San Francisco will consider implementing fines if the 2020 first-round pick's participation level doesn't change. With under two weeks remaining until the 49ers' regular-season opener against the Jets, a resolution to Aiyuk's situation should come soon, no matter the outcome.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Not practicing Wednesday
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Aiyuk was not present at the portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media, though head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he's hopeful that the wideout will resume participating soon, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Shanahan noted Wednesday that Aiyuk has been "cleared by our doctors," per David Lombardi of The Athletic. However, Aiyuk looks like he could be continuing his "hold in" while he seeks a contract extension. While it's notable that Aiyuk is officially healthy enough to practice after having contended with neck and back discomfort during training camp, his lack of a long-term deal clearly remains the true hurdle. The 49ers now have under two weeks remaining before the Sept. 9 season-opening matchup against the Jets, and Aiyuk has yet to practice with the team this summer.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Could practice soon
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested Wednesday that Aiyuk (contract dispute) could resume practicing soon, noting that he wideout has been "cleared by our doctors," David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports that Aiyuk had back and neck injuries during training camp, although the wideout's absence from practice this summer largely has been attributed to a contract dispute (and subsequent trade request). The contract is clearly the bigger issue, and there doesn't seem to be any question that Aiyuk currently is healthy enough to practice -- something he's yet to do this summer. Shanahan said he hopes to have Aiyuk practicing later Wednesday, but it's unclear if that's wishful thinking or a realistic goal.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: No update from GM
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49ers GM John Lynch said Thursday that he has no update on Aiyuk but remains in contact with the wide receiver, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
It's the offseason drama with no end, although at some point it might become slightly less complicated due to other teams losing interest in a trade (or at least giving San Francisco a deadline). The Steelers were thought to be the last man standing in that regard a week ago, with Cleveland and New England having failed to convince Aiyuk to sign a long-term deal post-trade. The 49ers still hope to sign him -- or at least get him back on the field under the fifth-year option he's currently under contract for -- and it would seem a trade becomes less and less likely with each passing day.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Restarts talks with San Francisco
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Aiyuk and the 49ers have re-opened negotiations on a potential long-term deal that would keep the star wideout in San Francisco for the foreseeable future, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Aiyuk reportedly had a recent meeting with coach Kyle Shanahan and others among the 49ers' top brass which went positively enough to lend some optimism to the idea that he could stick around in San Francisco, per Jordan Schultz of BleacherReport.com. The Patriots are reported to have exited trade talks due to Aiyuk's disinterest in playing in New England, despite the team offering a lucrative contract, while the Steelers and Browns continue to be mentioned as suitors for a potential trade. For the time being, Aiyuk's situation remains fluid and at risk of continuing to stretch out into the preseason, with the start of the regular season still roughly one month away, but Pelissero's report that the 49ers are making a push toward extending Aiyuk could also motivate other interested teams to negotiate with a greater sense of urgency.
The Steelers and 49ers have re-engaged in trade talks Tuesday regarding a potential deal for Aiyuk, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
It was reported as of Monday night that San Francisco had trade frameworks in place with both the Patriots and Browns, and it appears that Pittsburgh, a destination that Aiyuk previously named as a preference, has jumped back into the mix. All interested teams still have to overcome the hurdle of meeting Aiyuk's contract demands before a trade can be consummated, but if the wideout truly is interested in the Steelers as a landing spot, that could provide extra momentum to get a deal done with them. Previous reports suggested the Browns and Patriots would send a veteran wideout to the 49ers as part of the deal, with Amari Cooper and Kendrick Bourne (knee) being floated, but the only option the Steelers might have to include in a package is Van Jefferson, as the rest of their receiver room is very inexperienced behind George Pickens. That could mean a deal would have to involve additional draft capital. Aiyuk remains present, but is not practicing, at 49ers training camp.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Two teams in running
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The 49ers have a framework in place to trade Aiyuk to the Patriots or Browns if he can agree to a contract with either team, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The two teams reportedly are wiling to meet San Francisco's trade demands but haven't yet met Aiyuk's contract demands. Both agreements presumably need to be hammered out before a trade is completed, with Jets edge rush Haason Reddick providing a cautionary example about trading for a player that's in a contract year and seeking a new deal. Previous reports suggested the 49ers would be more willing to trade Aiyuk if they get a veteran wideout as part of the return, with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggesting Amari Cooper could be involved in any deal with the Browns. Kendrick Bourne (knee) has also been mentioned in relation to a trade with the Patriots, in part because he spent the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers. A trade involving Bourne rather than Cooper presumably would entail far more draft compensation, as the former is still working his way back from the ACL tear he suffered Oct. 29 last season and has had a significantly less impressive career to date. It's also possible these recent reports could inspire another team to up its offer for Aiyuk, although any new suitor would also face the same hurdle of needing to work out a contract with him prior to trading for him. Aiyuk requested a trade in mid-July and has been present at 49ers training camp but is not practicing.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Could be traded for another WR?
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The 49ers aren't likely to trade Aiyuk for only draft picks but may be willing to deal him if a veteran wide receiver is part of the return, Matt Maiocco of the NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
The problem then becomes that most teams with quality WRs aren't looking to trade them for a player who is in his contract year and holding out for a massive new deal. Maiocco mentions the Browns (and Amari Cooper) as a possible exception, along with the Patriots (and Kendrick Bourne), though the latter wouldn't come anywhere close to making up for the loss of Aiyuk. For now, Aiyuk remains a "hold in" at 49ers training camp, limited to attending meetings and watching practices. Contract negotiations are ongoing, as has seemingly been the case for much of the spring and summer.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Present, but not practicing
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Aiyuk is present at training camp Wednesday but isn't dressed for practice, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Though he's reported from training camp, Aiyuk looks to be "holding in" and thus abstaining from team drills as he continues to look for a contract extension. Coming off a breakout season in which he put up a 75-1,342-7 receiving line on 105 targets in 15 games, Aiyuk has expressed frustration with the fact that he remains without a long-term deal, and he went so far as to officially request a trade prior to the start of camp. Still, considering Aiyuk's lack of leverage, the most likely outcome remains that he plays out the 2024 season in a 49ers uniform, whether on the fifth-year option on his rookie contract or a new deal.
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49ers' Brandon Aiyuk: Officially requests trade
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Aiyuk officially requested a trade from the 49ers on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Aiyuk's trade requests follows a tumultuous offseason, and though his recent meeting with the team was reported to have gone well, the star wideout is now looking to force San Francisco's hand with training camp just around the corner. It now seems realistic that Aiyuk, who is currently positioned to play out the 2024 season on a $14.12 million salary under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, could hold out of training camp if no trade comes quickly to fruition. The 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall in the first round of April's draft, giving the team a pivot option behind top wideout Deebo Samuel should Aiyuk move on, and also brought back Jauan Jennings on a two-year deal.
