San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk never returned from his ACL tear in 2025, despite hope he could get back on the field in the early portion of the season.
As the season went on, it became clear that health wasn't all that was keeping Aiyuk off the field. The relationship between Aiyuk and the 49ers reportedly deteriorated, and GM John Lynch said Wednesday that it's "safe to say he's played his last snap" with the organization.
With Aiyuk putting up 1,342 yards in his most recent full season, he figures to draw plenty of interest as he looks for a fresh start after a likely offseason release.
Here's a look at which teams could be the top options for Aiyuk.
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Brandon Aiyuk landing spots
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers were known to be a top suitor for Aiyuk in trade talks ahead of the 2024 season. While the circumstances are different now with Mike Tomlin out of the picture and the quarterback position a question, could it make sense to finally bring Aiyuk to Pittsburgh?
The Steelers have DK Metcalf locked in for 2026, assuming the new head coach doesn't want to make sweeping changes, but they badly needed a wide receiver to step up when Metcalf was suspended at the end of the season and simply didn't have enough pass-catching weapons. A Metcalf-Aiyuk duo could clash, but the talent would be a major upgrade for Pittsburgh regardless of who starts at quarterback.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers knew their offense wasn't good enough in 2025, so they brought in Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator. McDaniel worked with Aiyuk for two seasons in San Francisco, which could make the transition to L.A.'s offense smoother for the veteran receiver than anywhere else.
The return of both starting tackles should upgrade the offense, but the Chargers are looking for more weapons outside of Ladd McConkey and could turn to Aiyuk while WR Tre' Harris and TE Oronde Gadsden II continue to develop.
MORE: Can Broncos win the Super Bowl without Bo Nix?
Washington Commanders
Aiyuk said in 2024 that he could envision himself wearing a Steelers or Washington Commanders uniform. The Commanders then went out and traded for Aiyuk's teammate, Deebo Samuel, with limited results in 2025, but Samuel is headed for free agency and Terry McLaurin is coming off an injury-plagued season.
The Samuel experiment may scare Washington off from adding Aiyuk, but the Commanders do need to add weapons for Jayden Daniels, and they have documented interest partly because GM Adam Peters was part of the front office that drafted Aiyuk in 2020.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints have a chance to go from worst-to-first in 2026, if they can carry their momentum from Tyler Shough's late-season surge over to the new season. Chris Olave had a resurgent season, but his injury history and the lack of capable receivers around him should be enough to convince the Saints to pursue pass-catchers this offseason.
Adding Aiyuk would signal New Orleans is ready to seriously compete in the NFC South, and it would give Shough some confidence that he will be given a legitimate chance to prove he can be the franchise's long-term starter.
Las Vegas Raiders
It's tough to gauge the future of the Las Vegas Raiders until a new coaching staff is hired, but they desperately need wide receivers to take some pressure off Brock Bowers. Protecting Fernando Mendoza should be the first order of business if he is indeed the pick, but he can't thrive without weapons. Bringing in Aiyuk would allow the Raiders to put their focus elsewhere in the draft and give Mendoza a veteran receiver capable of handling the No. 1 role if he's healthy.