San Francisco GM John Lynch said Wednesday that Aiyuk (knee) won't play for the 49ers again, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Reports in November suggested Aiyuk was angling for his release after the 49ers voided guarantees in his contract. He'll likely get his wish in the coming weeks, with Lynch now confirming that Aiyuk won't be welcomed back to the team.

The 49ers placed Aiyuk (knee) on the reserve/left squad list Saturday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The move means Aiyuk will not return for the rest of the season and will likely not be a part of the 49ers' plans from 2026 and beyond. Aiyuk has been recovering from ACL and MCL tears in his right knee that he sustained during the 2024 campaign, and it's unclear whether the 49ers will look to trade the 2020 first-rounder during the offseason or cut him from the roster outright.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch reiterated Tuesday that he's still "hopeful" Aiyuk (knee) will play at some point this season, though Lynch acknowledged that he wasn't sure how realistic the wideout's return might be, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Lynch noted that Aiyuk is continuing to take part in rehab work for the surgery he underwent last October to address ACL and MCL tears in his right knee, but the 49ers have thus far declined to put out a target date for when the 27-year-old might be ready to practice. As David Lombardi of SFStandard.com suggests, the decision as to whether Aiyuk suits up in 2025 likely falls on the wideout's shoulders. While the 49ers would seemingly welcome him back if he's healthy enough to play, Aiyuk may not be as motivated to suit up after San Francisco voided approximately $26 million in guarantees for the 2026 season back in late July. Aiyuk is still on San Francisco's books through 2028, though the team will likely look to trade him this offseason if it can find a suitor willing to pick up most of his remaining salary. Releasing Aiyuk is another possibility, but the 49ers would incur a dead-cap charge of $29.585 million if he's cut outright without a post-June 1 designation.

Aiyuk (knee) won't return to practice this week, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

EDGE Analysis

Aiyuk reportedly wants to sit out the rest of the season and then angle for his release rather than playing for the 49ers after they voided guarantees in his four-year extension. The team, meanwhile, is hoping to get Aiyuk back on the field at some point this season, though it presumably wouldn't be until late December or January. It's unclear if Aiyuk would be considered ready for practice if not for his displeasure with the 49ers.

The 49ers remain committed to getting Aiyuk (knee) "healthy and back on the field" in 2025, even though the team had approximately $27 million in guarantees for the 2026 season voided in his contract, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic broke the news Friday about Aiyuk's guaranteed money for 2026 being voided after the 49ers asserted that he failed to fulfill contractual obligations, but head coach Kyle Shanahan noted Saturday that the financial maneuver happened back in late July, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Shanahan didn't offer many specifics regarding what led to the team's decision to void the guaranteed money, but the coach acknowledged that Aiyuk remains engaged with the team and was at the 49ers' facility doing rehab work for his surgically repaired right knee as recently as Friday. While the 49ers remain optimistic Aiyuk will contribute at some point this season, a target date for his potential debut won't become clearer until the team opens his 21-day practice window. If Aiyuk doesn't end up playing before the season ends, his time in San Francisco could well be over, as the 49ers may be keen on moving on from the wideout during the offseason. A trade would likely be the preferred route if the 49ers part ways with Aiyuk; if he's released outright with no post-June 1 designation, San Francisco would incur a dead-cap charge of $29.585 million.

Aiyuk (knee) is considered unlikely to play for the 49ers again after the team voided guarantees in his contract for 2026, Diana Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 49ers reportedly voided the guarantees in response to Aiyuk missing meetings and declining to participate in other team activities the past couple months while he finished up his rehab from last year's ACL tear. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Nov. 10 that he was "pretty confident" Aiyuk would play at some point this season, but it now appears the wideout doesn't want to play for San Francisco at all. With the trade deadline having come and gone, Aiyuk may have to miss the entire season even if he's physically ready to play soon (which may not be the case). He's in the first season of a four-year, $130 million extension, but the report suggests Aiyuk will angle for his release this offseason, rather than filing a grievance or agreeing to play on a non-guaranteed salary. He'll turn 28 in March and shouldn't lack for free-agent suitors if it comes to that.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Aiyuk's (knee) 21-day practice window will not be opened this week, and he remains week-to-week, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Aiyuk will not play in next Monday night's Week 12 game against the Panthers, and he doesn't appear to be particularly close to a return to game action. The 49ers have a Week 14 bye, so perhaps Aiyuk will be able to practice at some point before that and potentially play prior to the end of the regular season. For now, the Niners will continue to roll with Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne as their three main wideouts.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that the 49ers don't intend to open Aiyuk's (knee) practice window this week, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Aiyuk remains in the rehab stages of the torn ACL and MCL that he suffered in his right knee Week 7 of last season. Shanahan did tell David Lombardi of SFStandard.com last Wednesday that he's "pretty confident" Aiyuk will play at some point this season, but it's unlikely to happen this coming Sunday and likely for at least a few more weeks after that point.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that he's "pretty confident" Aiyuk (knee) will play at some point this season, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

That's probably not what fantasy managers want to hear, though it was already made clear Monday that Aiyuk isn't exactly close to a return. He's still on injured reserve with no designation to return to practice this week, and then he's presumably looking at a multi-week ramp-up whenever he does begin practicing. A game appearance before December would be surprising.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Aiyuk (knee) won't have his 21-day practice window opened this week, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 49ers are continuing to evaluate Aiyuk on a week-to-week basis as he moves through the rehab process for the right knee surgery he required after suffering ACL and MCL tears in an Oct. 20, 2024 game. While the 49ers are seemingly still hopeful that Aiyuk will contribute at some point this season, a more definitive target date for his 2025 debut won't become clear until he starts practicing.