It’s been more than two years since wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk last played an NFL game for the San Francisco 49ers. Since tearing his ACL against the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2024 season, a lot has changed. Aiyuk missed the remainder of the 2024 campaign and the entire 2025 season, publicly criticized the organization, general manager John Lynch, and head coach Kyle Shanahan, and eventually expressed his desire to leave San Francisco.

However, the receiver now appears interested in returning to the 49ers. Aiyuk recently hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent, who has now informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the receiver has submitted the necessary paperwork to seek reinstatement. It’s still unclear whether San Francisco will bring him back.

With the trade deadline approaching and questions surrounding Aiyuk’s conduct during the offseason, the possibility of him never playing for the 49ers again remains. As that scenario gained traction, Spotrac’s Mike Ginnitti added another layer to the discussion by examining what could happen if San Francisco decides to release Aiyuk.

Ginnitti reported that if the 49ers release Aiyuk, the 49ers will still have to carry a significant amount of his contract on their salary cap. But at the same time, it doesn’t mean they will have to pay him that money.

For broader context, Aiyuk hasn’t earned any money from the team in the 2026 season after they voided $27 million last year and placed him on the reserve/left squad list. Now, if they release him, the team won’t suddenly have to pay the remaining amount of his contract. However, some of the money they previously paid him through signing bonuses is still being counted against their salary cap.

For instance, if San Francisco releases Aiyuk, it will have approximately $12.35 million in dead cap for 2026. The numbers become more complicated in 2027. The 49ers would have another $19.3 million in dead cap from the remaining portions of his signing and option bonuses. Together, that amounts to approximately $31.65 million in dead cap spread across two seasons.

That comes after the 49ers signed Brandon Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract extension. While the deal was a result of a career year that Aiyuk had during the 2023 season, it eventually turned out to be a bust after the receiver went down with a knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season. And now, the team could carry significant dead cap across the next two years if they decide to release him.

Meanwhile, the 49ers are still expected to receive a $4.987 million salary-cap credit in March 2027. This is because a portion of Aiyuk’s 2026 option bonus was allocated to the salary cap even though the team never actually paid him that money. At the same time, there’s still a trade possibility.

The NFL trade deadline is November 10, and Aiyuk has previously expressed his interest in playing for the Washington Commanders. But it remains to be seen how his latest decision to be reinstated by the 49ers will affect his future in the NFL.