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John Lynch Won't Rule Out Brandon Aiyuk Reunion With 49ers as Deadline Looms
The 49ers GM says "everything's possible" after Aiyuk filed for reinstatement, even as his coach says he has moved on.
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch refused to close the door on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on Thursday, saying "everything's possible" when asked on KNBR whether a reunion was still an option. Aiyuk filed for reinstatement from the reserve/left squad list on Wednesday and is expected at the team's Santa Clara facility Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The timing is awkward. The 49ers are 6-1, fresh off their bye, and host the Raiders on Sunday. The NFL trade deadline arrives Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, so the team has days, not weeks, to decide what to do.
Lynch tried to steer the conversation back to the field. He said the team believes it has a real shot this season and that its focus stays on the current roster. He called the situation "fluid," said the club is working with the NFL Management Council, and promised to look for "a pathway for both sides." Aiyuk's new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN his client is healthy and ready to play.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan sounded far less open. He said he has no expectation and has "moved on with that mentally." Lynch himself was blunter in January, when he said it was safe to say Aiyuk had played his last snap for the team.
Once reinstated, Aiyuk leaves the 49ers three choices: keep him, trade him before Tuesday, or release him. A release is seen as the likeliest. Per Spotrac, cutting him would leave $12.35 million in dead cap in 2026 and $19.3 million in 2027, about $31.65 million in total, with a $4.99 million credit coming back next March.
The locker room offered little enthusiasm. Fred Warner said he would let it "work itself out." Nick Bosa said it was not his place but added, "No hard feelings." Christian McCaffrey, who shared the field with Aiyuk most, said the decision is not on his radar.
For fans, the takeaway is simple: a $120 million contract that stopped paying off in October 2024 now needs an ending. A trade or release would end the weekly questions and let a 6-1 team talk football again.
Read the original report: Sportskeeda.
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