Yahoo Sports NFL on Brandon Aiyuk

ArticleBrandon Aiyuk likely will be cut by 4:00 p.m. ET today
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The 49ers likely will release Aiyuk. Although it's not clear how this happened (the Player Personnel Manual indicates that his 2025 salary of $1.17 million should have tolled into 2026 due to placement on the reserve/left squad list), official NFL records now show Aiyuk as having a base salary of $13.75 million for the balance of 2026. This means that, if he's on the roster at the close of business on Tuesday, his salary for Week 10 vests — at $1.52 million. They surely won't be able to trade him at that number. And they surely don't want to give him $1.52 million. Even more surely, coach Kyle Shanahan doesn't want him in the building. The only realistic option is to cut him.
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49ers likely to release Aiyuk by Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline due to salary vesting.

The 49ers likely will release Aiyuk by 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Official NFL records show Aiyuk with a base salary of $13.75 million for the balance of 2026; if he remains on the roster at close of business Tuesday, his Week 10 salary vests at $1.52 million. The source indicates the 49ers cannot trade him at that number and do not want to pay it, and coach Kyle Shanahan does not want him in the building. The only realistic option is to cut him, likely after Aiyuk wired a sizable payment (estimated $6–7 million) to the 49ers to secure his reinstatement from the reserve/left squad list.

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