Niners Play Long Game with Aiyuk

0:00It's April 28th. This is NFL News Today, powered by AI Your Gridiron Update. I'm Cory with the story. The San Francisco 49ers are playing the long game with wide receiver Brandon Ayuk, holding off on a trade to save about $21 million in cap space. General manager John Lynch made it clear after the 2026 NFL draft that they're open for business but not rushing anything. Ayukes been sidelined since a torn ACL and MCL, with zero production last season and a soured relationship with the team. Lynch shut down any talk of releasing Ayuk anytime soon, saying they'd love a deal if the right call comes in. This marks the third straight off season where Ayukes name pops up in trade rumors. Back in 2024, he held out for a 4 year, 100, 20 million dollar extension, but even that didn't lock him in forever. Fans and analysts see the impact clear as day. The Niners have moved on a wide out, drafting to John Stribbling at Pick 33 to team up with.

1:03Mike Evans and Ricky Peersol is their full contingency plan for life without Ayuk, who hasn't suited up for them since December. The big new wrinkle is the timing on that cap hit. Hit trading before June 1st means eating nearly 30 million in dead money, but waiting drops it to. Just over 8 million. That's why they're patient, eyes on teams like the Washington commanders who might need receiver help. As the off season heats up, expect those phones to ring louder after June 1st, setting Ayuk up for a fresh start while the Niners gain that.