The 2026 Draft Thread - Day 3

[heisenberg]

If I were Aiyuk I would go to the NFLPA and seek arbitration. I’d argue that they are in acting in bad faith and by voiding his guarantees as well as publicly declaring he will never play another down for them they have in fact voided the contract and are doing him actual harm right now.

I don’t know that Aiyuk would win, but I’d push this.

I have no earthly idea how any of that works but if thats possible I agree completely.
And as has been stated the niners aren't blameless victims here, they got a huge chunk of money back and are still being petty.
Look at all the recent quarterbacks who have signed one year minimum deals because their previous teams are still paying 90 percent of their salaries.
Any one of those teams could have tried to leverage something until the 11th hour but decided just to move on because it was the best thing to do for the franchise.

In the end the absolute best case scenario for the niners is getting a 6th or a 7th round pick and worse case is they get a reputation for being a place you dont want to be.

Risk/reward doesn't seem worth it.

 

[burgold]

Yep. Especially since the rep of Aiyuk in the locker room seemed/seems to have been pretty good.

I can get the 49ers being upset that Brandon didn't want to rehab in their facility under their supervision, but the degree to which they've decided to punish him after that seems incredibly excessive. If nothing else, don't you want to cut the cancer out of your team? Don't you want to end the drama? Heck, just being known as the team that will void your guarantees has got to make a lot of players and agents go--

"Wait? What!"

I'm not sure what the benefit is to the 49ers to keep dragging this out. They can, but other then not letting Aiyuk win I just don't see anything in it for them and I see a lot of reputational risk.

 

[Chris]

This whole situation has bad divorce vibes where hurt feelings have taken center stage. One spouse just wants out of the marriage, the other wants to inflict as much pain in response as possible. Apparently hell hath no fury like an 49er organization scorned.

 

[HTTR]

I don’t know man. You can call it petty, but it feels to me like the 49ers are just doing the smart thing for their organization. They are already going to take a big cap hit to get rid of him. So why in the world would they want to help out one of their competitors by gift wrapping him now? We should expect him to be released on August 31, the day before he gets that bonus. Put yourself in the shoes of the 49er fans… Would you want your team to help out Aiyuk and an NFC competitor just to be nice?

 

[Chris]

It is the definition of petty to me. Like a wife demanding her husbands trading card collection in divorce proceedings.

That said, if the shoe was on the other foot, I would probably support the 49ers efforts. That though doesn’t make it not petty or less petty.

 

[heisenberg]

I don’t know man. You can call it petty, but it feels to me like the 49ers are just doing the smart thing for their organization. They are already going to take a big cap hit to get rid of him. So why in the world would they want to help out one of their competitors by gift wrapping him now? We should expect him to be released on August 31, the day before he gets that bonus. Put yourself in the shoes of the 49er fans… Would you want your team to help out Aiyuk and an NFC competitor just to be nice?

If they hadn't used his behavior against him to void his guarantees id totally agree with you.

The problem is they saw an opportunity to get out of a massive portion of his contract and they took it, which i dont blame them for at all, that was well within their right but once that happened and he didn't dispute it the right thing to do was release him.

The fact that they got what they were looking for and now are holding him hostage is like having your cake and eating it too.

 

[HTTR]

If they hadn't used his behavior against him to void his guarantees id totally agree with you.

The problem is they saw an opportunity to get out of a massive portion of his contract and they took it, which i dont blame them for at all, that was well within their right but once that happened and he didn't dispute it the right thing to do was release him.

The fact that they got what they were looking for and now are holding him hostage is like having your cake and eating it too.

Releasing him at that point would’ve meant they eat the entire cap hit right away. Not sure of their cap situation, but I’m guessing it’s tight and they are a lot better off spreading the hit out. So what’s the benefit of releasing him right away and helping out his future team? Our fans are upset and rightfully so that we released Biadasz a little earlier than we had to, but yet think the 49ers should have moved on from Aiyuk immediately. Can’t have it both ways.

If I’m the 49ers, I’m hanging on until the very last second just in case a trade materializes, no matter how much of a longshot it seems to be. And even if it doesn’t, at least he won’t be contributing to one of my competitors until mid season or so. I’d rather be called petty by another team’s fans for doing the smart thing than the opposite.

 

[Anselmheifer]

If they hadn't used his behavior against him to void his guarantees id totally agree with you.

The problem is they saw an opportunity to get out of a massive portion of his contract and they took it, which i dont blame them for at all, that was well within their right but once that happened and he didn't dispute it the right thing to do was release him.

The fact that they got what they were looking for and now are holding him hostage is like having your cake and eating it too.

I do agree with this sentiment.

Releasing him at that point would’ve meant they eat the entire cap hit right away. Not sure of their cap situation, but I’m guessing it’s tight and they are a lot better off spreading the hit out. So what’s the benefit of releasing him right away and helping out his future team? Our fans are upset and rightfully so that we released Biadasz a little earlier than we had to, but yet think the 49ers should have moved on from Aiyuk immediately. Can’t have it both ways.

If I’m the 49ers, I’m hanging on until the very last second just in case a trade materializes, no matter how much of a longshot it seems to be. And even if it doesn’t, at least he won’t be contributing to one of my competitors until mid season or so. I’d rather be called petty by another team’s fans for doing the smart thing than the opposite.

They would not have had to eat any extra cap hit at all. They had voided his guarantees. They could have designated him a post June 1st cut and released him and the would have cost them literally nothing extra.

Also, every single team could do this with every single player they release. Wait until the last possible second because it means the player won’t be able to sign early, absorb a new scheme, and help a competing team. But they don’t.

This is clearly an issue of bad blood.

It looks like the mistake Aiyuk made was in thinking the 49’ers would act in good faith and just release him. He should have held their feet to the fire and challenged the voiding of the guarantees until they actually agreed to release him.

 

[heisenberg]

Our fans are upset and rightfully so that we released Biadasz a little earlier than we had to, but yet think the 49ers should have moved on from Aiyuk immediately. Can’t have it both ways

Some fans may have been upset but I wasn't one of them.

I questioned the move because it didn't make sense to me but my one defense of it was that if they didn't see a future with him on our team and couldn't get a draft pick i like that they did it early so he could get a chance to catch on somewhere and I was fairly vocal about it.

Some fans dont see the intrinsic value of doing things that dont seem to directly help the team but create a reputation of being a place you want to be but Im not one of them.

 

[heisenberg]

Also, every single team could do this with every single player they release. Wait until the last possible second because it means the player won’t be able to sign early, absorb a new scheme, and help a competing team. But they don’t.

Not every single team because smart agents put things in contracts that force early decisions but yes it would be far more prevalent.

 

[heisenberg]

It is the definition of petty to me. Like a wife demanding her husbands trading card collection in divorce proceedings

Yup and after he gives her the trading cards she waits until the last possible second to grant the divorce so he cant get remarried and move on with his life.

 

[Anselmheifer]

Some fans may have been upset but I wasn't one of them.

I questioned the move because it didn't make sense to me but my one defense of it was that if they didn't see a future with him on our team and couldn't get a draft pick i like that they did it early so he could get a chance to catch on somewhere and I was fairly vocal about it.

Some fans dont see the intrinsic value of doing things that dont seem to directly help the team but create a reputation of being a place you want to be but Im not one of them.

There was something more going on behind the scenes with Biadasz. Peter’s isn’t stupid. If you don’t see him starting, he doesn’t have value backing up the new starter? It was creating a hole for no reason other than cash savings, which is a stupid reason, and making us use a draft pick we could have spent elsewhere.

The only way it makes sense would be if it were drugs, alcohol, harassing women around the facilities, some other kind of character thing they wanted to get ahead of, etc. I do t see any other rational explanation.

Back to day 3, I’m going to be excited to watch these guys in the preseason. And one common thread amongst all of them, is that they all play a position where we didn’t have enough guys under contract in 2027. So they may well all be getting snaps next year.

 

[Conn]

There was something more going on behind the scenes with Biadasz. Peter’s isn’t stupid. If you don’t see him starting, he doesn’t have value backing up the new starter? It was creating a hole for no reason other than cash savings, which is a stupid reason, and making us use a draft pick we could have spent elsewhere.

The only way it makes sense would be if it were drugs, alcohol, harassing women around the facilities, some other kind of character thing they wanted to get ahead of, etc. I do t see any other rational explanation.

Back to day 3, I’m going to be excited to watch these guys in the preseason. And one common thread amongst all of them, is that they all play a position where we didn’t have enough guys under contract in 2027. So they may well all be getting snaps next year.

Sometimes organizations just make non-optimal decisions. We’ve done it plenty often even under this current regime, so I don’t think we have to assume that Biadasz is a secret druggie/criminal/harasser to explain things lol. We did something a bit irrational right before some timely retirements would have lent the player some trade value for us. It happens. It’ll happen again if they don’t keep their heads on a swivel.

 

[HTTR]

Sometimes organizations just make non-optimal decisions. We’ve done it plenty often even under this current regime, so I don’t think we have to assume that Biadasz is a secret druggie/criminal/harasser to explain things lol. We did something a bit irrational right before some timely retirements would have lent the player some trade value for us. It happens. It’ll happen again if they don’t keep their heads on a swivel.

I’m sorry to have brought up the Biadasz dead horse, but I agree with you… unexpected things suddenly happened and the possible market for him changed for the better. Absent information we are not privy to, AP should have waited. This could happen with Aiyuk as well, which is why I’m saying the 49ers are doing the smart thing by not being in such a huge hurry to let him go.

 

[Anselmheifer]

Sometimes organizations just make non-optimal decisions. We’ve done it plenty often even under this current regime, so I don’t think we have to assume that Biadasz is a secret druggie/criminal/harasser to explain things lol. We did something a bit irrational right before some timely retirements would have lent the player some trade value for us. It happens. It’ll happen again if they don’t keep their heads on a swivel.

I have some beefs with Peters’ decisions. But, one thing that is not in character is making twitchy, poorly thought out decisions. They are so process oriented. We have to interview 5,000 coaches and give them all an equal chance, instead of just targeting the guy we want, saying, “what will it take to get you here?”.

There is a reason. It’s not an off the cuff, random mistake.

Maybe it’s that Josh Harris actually had a very firm line in the sand about cash spending. And we needed the extra cash. Maybe it isn’t some personal issue with Biadasz. But, there is an actual reason that would survive a process based review by multiple executives.

It’s not just, let’s cut our starting center instead of making him compete for the spot or be a backup to our new guy, because I had too much gin last night.

 

[Conn]

I have some beefs with Peters’ decisions. But, one thing that is not in character is making twitchy, poorly thought out decisions. They are so process oriented. We have to interview 5,000 coaches and give them all an equal chance, instead of just targeting the guy we want, saying, “what will it take to get you here?”.

There is a reason. It’s not an off the cuff, random mistake.

Maybe it’s that Josh Harris actually had a very firm line in the sand about cash spending. And we needed the extra cash. Maybe it isn’t some personal issue with Biadasz. But, there is an actual reason that would survive a process based review by multiple executives.

It’s not just, let’s cut our starting center instead of making him compete for the spot or be a backup to our new guy, because I had too much gin last night.

I just think you aren’t lending enough respect (in their minds) to the “reason” they had. Which is that they thought Allegretti was an at-worst equivalent option who was better calling protections, and they didn’t want to start the Blough offensive install this spring with the guy they weren’t happy with in Biadasz.

Their error, if arguing that they made one, is that if they held him longer those retirements at Center would’ve hit the transaction wire and Biadasz would likely have gained some trade value. Before that they thought he had none.

I think their reasoning is clear, it just doesn’t pass the sniff test for some fans. I’m with you btw, he should’ve been kept as depth or as a potential trade piece later in the offseason. They were arguably too focused on doing the right thing for him, and weren’t happy with his performance and didn’t want to carry that over to Blough’s new offense.

I feel very confident that there are no hidden reasons that would serve to justify the move. He immediately signed a nice contract with the Chargers, and executives talk about problem players.