Kyle Shanahan’s situation is tough right now when it comes to Brock Purdy’s weapons. The San Francisco 49ers have Demarcus Robinson, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings as the receivers to help Purdy in the games. But one man, for whom the entire team as well as the 49ers fans are waiting, is still absent. Yes, the same man who has transformed the 49ers’ receiver role with his dominance.

Brandon Aiyuk is heading into his sixth NFL season with the franchise, but his status for the start of 2025 is up in the air. Back in Week 7 of the 2024 season, he tore both his ACL and MCL during a game against the Chiefs. That’s a serious injury, especially for a wide receiver who depends on speed, quick cuts, and explosive movement. So, as the next season is coming soon, will Brock Purdy get a familiar support in Aiyuk?

Perhaps not. At least not for some time. 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco, who joined The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday, clearly revealed what the fans could expect in the case of Brandon Aiyuk. He said, “They (49ers) haven’t really disclosed what the timetable is. There he had the ACL, and there’s some other stuff in there, meniscus and MCL as well. So that kind of pushes back the recovery. My guess is that, you know, when the 49ers report to training camp, he’ll be put on the PUP list.” That seems bad news for Shanahan.

Not only Maiocco, even The Athletic’s Matt Bowen thinks the same. As Brock Purdy’s weapon is in his recovery progresses, the possibility of Aiyuk being placed on the PUP list remains a scenario. But now the question arises: till when? To which, Maiocco made a guess attempt, saying, “I would think that there’s also a strong possibility he would start the season on PUP and miss at least the first four games. But I don’t think they want to rush it with him and force him back out there.”

In 2023, under Brock Purdy, Aiyuk put forth significant production, totaling 75 catches for 1,342 yards. But as he will be returning from the injury, will that phase return with him too? That’s a major doubt for many, including Maiocco, who said, “I would think that right now, when the season starts, the 49ers are thinking that they won’t have Brandon Aiyuk on the field early on, but we’ll see it. A lot of it will have to do with just what happens now. I know he’s at the facility working out every day, so he’s on a good track from that standpoint, but I would think that he’s going to miss some time at the beginning of the year.” No doubt, Aiyuk was an integral part of the team.

Besides him and other injured stars, the team couldn’t make it through the playoffs last time. It’s bad news for Purdy and the offense. Nevertheless, Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy, and the entire organization are waiting for a positive update on him. But as they say, the show must go on. That’s why the head coach has already started OTAs with his team.

Phase 3 offseason program started for Brock Purdy’s team!

Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers kicked off Phase 3 of their offseason program on Tuesday. With this, they joined 19 other NFL teams in this next step. As per the reports, they’ll get up to 10 OTA sessions. This means no live hitting, but plenty of full-speed action in 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills. It’s still voluntary at this stage, but things ramp up soon for Brock Purdy’s squad.

Their only mandatory work before training camp is a minicamp set for June 10-11. After that, it’s a break until late July. In addition, the media will finally get a look starting May 29. In this, the reporters can watch practice and talk to players and coaches. Next coming up for us all will be that the head coach will speak that day.

So, it’s gonna be a busy schedule for Kyle Shanahan and his 49ers. It remains to be seen how well the team and their quarterback, Brock Purdy, are preparing themselves for the Super Bowl run!