The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Dlts20]

One thing I wonder about. Given how Terry McLaurin pouted his way through last offseason and the start of the 2025 season, just how far would his nose be out of joint if they signed Jennings to a big money contract? I imagine that could be a factor.

I don't think it's a factor but if it happened then Terry should feel that way, along with everyone in the fanbase. Jennings hasn't done anything to prove he's worth a big contract. If that's what this is about then he won't be here because it's clear that AP puts a number on guys and won't go over it out of desperation. I'm not paying him #1 receiver money at all when I'm not even sure that he's an elite #2

 

[Dah-Dee]

Did some more digging into 2025 transactions.

Per NFL.com, SF placed Aiyuk on the "Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform" list on 8/26/25.

Per CBS.com, SF then moved him to the "Reserved/Left Camp" list on 12/13/25. Oddly, NFL.com does not list this transaction, but does currently shows his status as "Not With Team."

So it does look like the Aiyuk situation would currently be subject to the 'roster/salary cap not affected, contract does not exist' rule discussed previously.

No idea why Aiyuk has not reported, to force a status change and pressure the team. Of course, setting fire to $30M (and growing?) doesn't make any sense whatsoever either, so who knows what he's thinking.

 

[DWinzit]

I rate them BIll, CRod then JM. By the stats that what I see. He's never moved the needle for me. Had he truly impressed AP and staff he'd been signed to more that 1 year deals the past couple of seasons.

I have a hard time with that rating. The fact that Bill isn't proficient in pass pro or in the pass game in general makes him one dimensional. That keeps him off the field a lot or leaves us vulnerable to teams knowing we are running when he is in the lineup.

Right now White, a healthy Ford and McNichols are efficient in all aspects of the RB duties. I would not argue that Bill is exciting with the ball in his hands, so one only hopes he can really up his pass pro

 

[heisenberg]

Did some more digging into 2025 transactions.

Per NFL.com, SF placed Aiyuk on the "Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform" list on 8/26/25.

Per CBS.com, SF then moved him to the "Reserved/Left Camp" list on 12/13/25. Oddly, NFL.com does not list this transaction, but does currently shows his status as "Not With Team."

So it does look like the Aiyuk situation would currently be subject to the 'roster/salary cap not affected, contract does not exist' rule discussed previously.

No idea why Aiyuk has not reported, to force a status change and pressure the team. Of course, setting fire to $30M (and growing?) doesn't make any sense whatsoever either, so who knows what he's thinking.

As voice of reason has stated.

You can't predict crazy!

 

[RWJ]

I have a hard time with that rating. The fact that Bill isn't proficient in pass pro or in the pass game in general makes him one dimensional. That keeps him off the field a lot or leaves us vulnerable to teams knowing we are running when he is in the lineup.

Right now White, a healthy Ford and McNichols are efficient in all aspects of the RB duties. I would not argue that Bill is exciting with the ball in his hands, so one only hopes he can really up his pass pro

That's cool. I am basing mine on performance of yards per rush and yards after catch this past year.

 

[DWinzit]

That's cool. I am basing mine on performance of yards per rush and yards after catch this past year.

That's one way to look at it.

If you went receiving yards per game Bill's average is 4 yards. That's because while he was in all 17 games, he only had 9 receptions. Why, due to not being good in pass pro

But enough talk about the shit year we had!

 

[Primus Porcus]

So is there a window between June 1st and September where his contract is basically zero until that September bonus? It seems like I was reading something like that yesterday so maybe someone can negotiate with him in between then and they think that they can get a pick because of that. Does anyone know if that's possible?

I believe the team has to formally give him permission to seek a trade first, because teams are not allowed to negotiate with players under contract. Of course that happens all the time because we see guys get dealt 'with an extension signed' by the new team.

I honestly go back to the NFLPA and i wonder if they've told Aiyuk NOT to negotiate a deal DOWN because it's going to set a very bad precedent for them and their clients. They like want the trade to carry the contract, or the 49ers to release him. If they let a guy who's on the books for $40Mil next year, pre-negotiate a deal where he's taking a large pay cut, it's going to open the door for a lot of teams to use that going forward.

 

[Bulldog]

If any team takes on Aiyuk's current contract for 2026 which includes the September guarantees by trading a #7 pick for him they are stupid.

I COULD see usually clueless front offices like the Cardinals or Jets or Raiders make a move like this but you won't see any of the credible teams that are playoff/contender quality going after a player and a team in the 49ers that seem to be locked in a 'death spiral' of animosity that you really don't want to be a part of.

Eagles? No. Rams? No. Seattle? No. Baltimore? No. Chiefs? No.

ANY value to Aiyuk is invested in keeping him hungry and ensuring his good behavior by limiting his take in 2026.

If you trade picks and then he picks up $20M plus in bonus/guarantees in September once again the player then has control afterward.

Who's to say he won't like how he is being used in the offense or personally dislikes Blough or Quinn?

Then you are back to the drama from 2025 because this player has shown already that he will throw $30M out the window out of spite and go to war with the team that drafted him and already paid him.

 

[Chris 44]

If any team takes on Aiyuk's current contract for 2026 which includes the September guarantees by trading a #7 pick for him they are stupid.

I COULD see usually clueless front offices like the Cardinals or Jets or Raiders make a move like this but you won't see any of the credible teams that are playoff/contender quality going after a player and a team in the 49ers that seem to be locked in a 'death spiral' of animosity that you really don't want to be a part of.

Eagles? No. Rams? No. Seattle? No. Baltimore? No. Chiefs? No.

Eagles? No. Rams? No. Seattle? No. Baltimore? No. Chiefs? No. Cleveland? Hold My Beer.

 

[Kalu44]

I don't know brother. Who would've ever thought he would go to the media and cry about his contract unhappiness... but that's exactly what he did.

That’s a fair point.

 

[Dlts20]

I think I read that Aiyuk only had 30 days to challenge the voiding of his contract. The NFLPA wanted to but he insisted on them not stepping in because he wanted to leave and not be stuck dealing with the issue long term or be forced to stay with them if the contract became unvoided. He wanted out so didn't dispute it despite the NFLPA advising against it

 

[MartinC]

Did some more digging into 2025 transactions.

Per NFL.com, SF placed Aiyuk on the "Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform" list on 8/26/25.

Per CBS.com, SF then moved him to the "Reserved/Left Camp" list on 12/13/25. Oddly, NFL.com does not list this transaction, but does currently shows his status as "Not With Team."

So it does look like the Aiyuk situation would currently be subject to the 'roster/salary cap not affected, contract does not exist' rule discussed previously.

No idea why Aiyuk has not reported, to force a status change and pressure the team. Of course, setting fire to $30M (and growing?) doesn't make any sense whatsoever either, so who knows what he's thinking.

He can’t report yet can he? That would be when training camp starts. That’s the mandatory reporting time I think - so mid to late July depending when the 49ers start their training camp.

I THINK therefore late July is when Aiyuk could force their hand and the latest the 49ers could hang onto him without him counting on their roster and cap.

 

[heisenberg]

I think I read that Aiyuk only had 30 days to challenge the voiding of his contract. The NFLPA wanted to but he insisted on them not stepping in because he wanted to leave and not be stuck dealing with the issue long term or be forced to stay with them if the contract became unvoided. He wanted out so didn't dispute it despite the NFLPA advising against it

That begs the question of why he couldn't negotiate his release from the niners if he agreed not to challenge the voiding of his guarantees.

Doing it on faith would certainly be on point with the rest of his decision making last year.

 

[MartinC]

If any team takes on Aiyuk's current contract for 2026 which includes the September guarantees by trading a #7 pick for him they are stupid.

I COULD see usually clueless front offices like the Cardinals or Jets or Raiders make a move like this but you won't see any of the credible teams that are playoff/contender quality going after a player and a team in the 49ers that seem to be locked in a 'death spiral' of animosity that you really don't want to be a part of.

Eagles? No. Rams? No. Seattle? No. Baltimore? No. Chiefs? No.

ANY value to Aiyuk is invested in keeping him hungry and ensuring his good behavior by limiting his take in 2026.

If you trade picks and then he picks up $20M plus in bonus/guarantees in September once again the player then has control afterward.

Who's to say he won't like how he is being used in the offense or personally dislikes Blough or Quinn?

Then you are back to the drama from 2025 because this player has shown already that he will throw $30M out the window out of spite and go to war with the team that drafted him and already paid him.

The only way any team will be interested in him is on a cheap one year ‘prove it’ deal. No one is trading anything for a player who has not played for almost two seasons, has some character/motivation question marks and has the size of contract that would come with him.

 

[Dlts20]

That begs the question of why he couldn't negotiate his release from the niners if he agreed not to challenge the voiding of his guarantees.

Doing it on faith would certainly be on point with the rest of his decision making last year.

 

[Conn]

They’re laughing at us out there. We have a guy named Skylark on the 90 and they’re laughing.

On the plus side, Tate at 7 and a dash of Aiyuk mania on the side and it is looking a lot better in the short term.

But I hate that despite our best efforts we’re cornered at this position. That’s a downstream effect of McCaffrey and Lane potentially missing (we’ll see). So we really need to hit at the position this year and going forward to fix that.

 

[Dlts20]

They’re laughing at us out there. We have a guy named Skylark on the 90 and they’re laughing.

On the plus side, Tate at 7 and a dash of Aiyuk mania on the side and it is looking a lot better in the short term.

But I hate that despite our best efforts we’re cornered at this position. That’s a downstream effect of McCaffrey and Lane potentially missing (we’ll see). So we really need to hit at the position this year and going forward to fix that.

I honestly feel that it's like this. They think that they will get Aiyuk at some point and are basically 99 percent sure about it. Therefore you have Aiyuk and Terry. Now they want to wait for the draft. If Love is gone then they will take a WR and be set. If Love is there then they will take him and sign another legit receiver.

Either way they feel like they will end up with Aiyuk and another but will wait for the draft to see how it plays out, unless Jennings drops his price in the meantime because that's the only guy I see us signing before the draft but he's too high right now

 

[Primus Porcus]

This comes back to him being upset. He probably feels like he's being the bigger person here and now San Fran is playing games trying to get something for him... despite him being forward and up front that he was not going to throw a fit about voiding his owed money.

 

[Dah-Dee]

"Chip Skylark" sounds like it'd be a character in the Barbie movie sequel, competing for Margot Robbie's affections.

Nick Nash should grown a porn 'stache if he doesn't already have one. And buy a baby blue leisure suit.

 

[Riggo44]

Pretty sure Chip Skylark isn't real and was actually a one-episode character on Mad Men.