The San Francisco 49ers (7-4) head into their Week 12 matchup against the Carolina Panthers (6-5) with injuries still defining the narrative. Their final report just ruled out kicker Eddy Piñeiro (right hamstring) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (ankle). But surprisingly, despite his absence from the injury list, the spotlight shifted to 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk.

On November 23, NFL reporter Mike Garafolo reported that Brandon Aiyuk is close to being cleared to practice. And that’s not all, the good news is he also hinted that there’s still hope that the wideout can return this season. 

“From @NFLGameDay Morning on the curious case of #49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk: The belief is he’s close to being cleared and can still work his way into being a Niner this year and beyond,” wrote Garafolo in his recent X post. “For now, still in limbo.”

That update surprised many fans who weren’t sure where Brandon Aiyuk stood. The wideout tore his right ACL, MCL, and meniscus in the Week 7 game of the 2024 season. It was a devastating blow, especially since he had just signed a four-year, $120 million extension after a long holdout. More than a year later, his future with the team still feels unclear.

Things only got complicated this summer when the 49ers waived his 2026 guarantees, and Brandon Aiyuk didn’t challenge it. That move sparked speculation that 2024 might have been his last season in a 49ers uniform. There hasn’t been a trade or release, but the signs are hard to ignore. But Garafolo also just explained that the team has monitored Aiyuk’s recovery closely since voiding part of his contract. 

“The 49ers have been committed to getting Aiyuk healthy and back on the field, and so just because next year has been voided doesn’t mean that this was going to be a divorce by the sides,” Garafolo also said on “The Insiders”. “My understanding is, the belief is Aiyuk is close to being cleared in his return from that ACL injury, but he hasn’t got it yet, and like Kyle Shanahan has said every week, [they’re] kind of looking to see when that clearance is coming and when he’s going to go back to practice.”

That sounds encouraging, but does it truly signal a long-term partnership? Or is this simply due diligence? Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan had earlier shut down speculations around the wideout’s return. But on November 22, Shanahan just told reporters that the Niners still hope to get Aiyuk back on the field this season.

“It’s week to week,” said Shanahan while talking about Brandon Aiyuk’s status. “Hoping he can clear all the markers so he can come back and start his practice window.”

It seems that the Niners are waiting for Brandon Aiyuk to clear all the medical benchmarks so he can begin his practice window. Meanwhile, Shanahan has stood by Aiyuk and even prevented trade talks from going anywhere. That kind of support matters, and Shanahan knows it. He has also supported the Niners’ quarterback Brock Purdy through a rough stretch this season. 

Purdy had missed time with a toe injury but returned in a big way during the 41-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week. With the QB healthy again, the 49ers will want to protect their grip on the final playoff spot. But the Panthers also need to win this Week 12 game badly. However, their head coach, Dave Canales, faces his own injury concerns heading into Monday night.

Dave Canales faces 3 major setbacks before the matchup against the 49ers

The Monday Night primetime game will present a chance for Dave Canales’ team to announce itself as a resurgent force. But the latest injury report revealed that the Panthers will be without three starters. Linebackers Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom have been ruled out, along with center Cade Mays. 

Rozeboom, who has 91 tackles and a forced fumble this season, missed all practices this week with a hip and hamstring issue. Wallace, who suffered a shoulder injury, also didn’t practice this week. He has 52 tackles and two sacks so far. So, Dave Canales will likely turn to Bam Martin-Scott and Claudin Cherelus to pick up snaps at linebacker. 

Mays was then added to the injury report late on November 21 with an ankle injury. As such, Austin Corbett will now take over at center. But this change creates the ninth different O-line combination in 12 games. That’s a lot. And the Panthers’ defensive injuries are particularly concerning since Shanahan will surely notice the weakened linebacker group when designing his game plan.

So, Dave Canales will expect Wallace, Rozeboom, and Mays to eventually return to play in Week 13. Until then, the Panthers must show resilience if they want any chance at an upset against the Niners. Ultimately, both the NFC teams head into Monday night with challenges. The question is, which side will handle adversity better?