Considering the character of WR Brandon Aiyuk’s offseason storylines, it was not surprising that 49ers GM John Lynch was asked multiple Aiyuk-related questions on Saturday, when veterans reported for training camp. It was likewise not surprising that Lynch largely deflected those questions.
Lynch told reporters, including ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, “Brandon is on a left squad designation. As such, he’s not on our 90-man roster. And I’m personally, and we as a corporation, are going to deal with the players which can be here. And so, I don’t have anything to say on that, anything so as to add to that. We wish him well. We wish his family well.”
Aiyuk has been on the reserve/left squad list since December, and just as he didn’t file a grievance after the Niners voided the remaining guarantees on his contract, he has not yet filed for reinstatement with the league. A successful application for reinstatement would force San Francisco to release him, because he would then count against the club’s 90-man roster and salary cap.
But until Aiyuk takes that step, Lynch appears content to take care of the established order. Aiyuk’s social media blast of Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels notwithstanding, the 28-year-old wideout has made it plain he would really like to hitch Washington. As Wagoner details, Aiyuk recently said he purchased a $10MM home in Loudon County, Virginia, near the Commanders’ practice facility.
Nonetheless, the 49ers and Commanders play one another in Week 6 of the upcoming season. Matt Barrows of The Athletic asked Lynch if that fact is playing a job within the GM’s decision to maintain Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list fairly than release him and Lynch replied, “Matt, I understand you bought to do your job. I understand. But as I said at first, he’s on that list. Which means he’s not on our roster. I’m going to deal with the blokes which can be and stand by what we’ve said already” (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic).
In one in every of his many social media posts on his 49ers and/or Commanders, Aiyuk claimed Lynch had visited him at his home without an invite. Lynch was asked about that allegation as well and replied, “I can inform you that on the forefront of our thoughts with any player is their well-being. I’ll just leave it at that. But we wish him and we wish his family well.”
Even when he applies for reinstatement and has his request granted, it shouldn’t be a given the Commanders or another club will offer Aiyuk a possibility. For now, the situation stays in a holding pattern, and the 49ers will move forward with an overhauled receiver room that features veteran acquisitions Mike Evans and Christian Kirk and second-round rookie De’Zhaun Stribling.