The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Darrell Green Fan]

Diggs is a one year rental, and every team he has played for decided to go in another direction despite very good production. The value in Aiyuk, as I said, is if it works out we then have the inside lane to extend him and we now have a legit #1 as Terry ages out. With Diggs we are right back here next offseason, only Terry is now a year older so the urgency will be higher.

If we are going to take a risk I'd prefer to roll the dice on a guy who may not be here for just one season.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I actually don't think it is 'all about the money' for McLaurin. I think he views the money as a sign of his value and the degree to which his talent is acknowledged and respected. That's why the whole situation dragged on as long as it did. He felt 'disrespected' and personalized the whole contract situation. Guys who do a 30 minute media soliloquy when asked a simple question aren't just motivated by the money imho.

Well, he’s either a money grubbing fool or has an over inflated self of self.

Take your pick. Neither is great.

I fell off the Terry train with a thud last off season. I don’t think it’s entirely clear how damaging his holdout was. And while I’ll root for him as long as he’s on the team, I don’t see him the same way anymore.

 

[NickyJ]

Confirmed he has not had an agent for a long time, apparently. Which feels obvious:

It should be obvious, but I took the media reports contradicting the first report of it at their word for it. Seeing it confirmed now: I'm 100% out on him and will be disappointed if the team pursues someone so dumb that he has no agent.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Squeaky might/might not be right about putting extra stuff on Daniels.

He is right they shouldn’t saddle anybody with Aiyuk’s crazy.

 

[burgold]

I can see right through what Aiyuk is doing. I don't think he's "crazy" he is simply doing what he can to force the Niners to release him. It's an odd method but being a pain in the ass may ultimately work, do they really want this dragging on all summer?

Except it hasn't worked. He was supposed to be cut already, then he was supposed to be a June 1st cut, and now he's hoping he'll be a training camp cut! So, whatever he thinks he's accomplishing it ain't working. If anything the 49ers have entrenched themselves further.

 

[prodigy]

he's choosing the odd method over the obvious one. I just don't think he wants to have the actual confrontation with Kyle and John, for whatever reason. maybe cryptic passive aggression is his love language?

 

[prodigy]

He demanded a trade, then after accepting the same contract offer he demanded a trade over, reiterated that it was a serious request and NOT a negotiating tactic.

this will be the last time I respond to this, I promise lol. if he really meant it and the offer he took was the same one they basically offered originally, then he wouldn't be here and he wouldn't seem as happy as he does in being with the team right now. if you are in negotiations and one of the few things you have as leverage (which i'd argue wasn't the case because of his age - a miscalculation by terry) is to threaten a hold out and demand a trade, you aren't going to just give it up because some reporter asked you a question. if he was really was sincere and he said, "i'm not serious. this is just a negotiating tactic", I'd think Terry is an even bigger idiot at negotiation.

"do you really want this car at 10% under MSRP or is this a negotiating tactic?"

"lol ya got me. naw, I was just faking it. i'll take it at 10% markup."

 

[Conn]

this will be the last time I respond to this, I promise lol. if he really meant it and the offer he took was the same one they basically offered originally, then he wouldn't be here and he wouldn't seem as happy as he does in being with the team right now. if you are in negotiations and one of the few things you have as leverage (which i'd argue wasn't the case because of his age - a miscalculation by terry) is to threaten a hold out and demand a trade, you aren't going to just give it up because some reporter asked you a question. if he was really was sincere and he said, "i'm not serious. this is just a negotiating tactic", I'd think Terry is an even bigger idiot at negotiation.

"do you really want this car at 10% under MSRP or is this a negotiating tactic?"

"lol ya got me. naw, I was just faking it. i'll take it at 10% markup."

This was after he signed the contract. He confirmed he really seriously wanted a trade, and that it was NOT just a negotiating tactic, after he signed his shiny new contract. He chose to reiterate for fans and the team that the trade demand was real, not an attempt at leverage. It doesn’t mean he isn’t happy to be here, but he’s loyal to his dollars. Which describes most players, I just hate seeing people put him on a pedestal he doesn’t deserve. And yet I look forward to whatever catches, yards, and TD’s lie ahead.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

NFLPA records contradict Brandon Aiyuk's claim he fired his agent

The receiver says he terminated his representation last November. An NFLPA source says the required paperwork was never submitted, adding another twist to Aiyuk's standoff with the 49ers.

lastmanstandig.substack.com

Aiyuk never submitted the paperwork to fire his agent. He's probably going to ignore the situation and never going to submit the paperwork to get off the DNR list either. This means he's done with football. Done with the NFL.

The people that are desperate and perpetuating this Aiyuk to DC notion need to take a pause, take a deep breath, and at the very least wait until any paperwork has even been filed before clinging to hope of Aiyuk being the savior.

I know we're all a little starved for content before Training Camp. But this ain't it. There are steps we can follow to track goings on, and then we can wish for a future after those steps have been checked off. But it's been months and months and months. In a sports world like football, that's eternity. We need to move on.

 

[Chris]

Over? It’s not over. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!

 

[skinsinparadise]

NFLPA records contradict Brandon Aiyuk's claim he fired his agent

The receiver says he terminated his representation last November. An NFLPA source says the required paperwork was never submitted, adding another twist to Aiyuk's standoff with the 49ers.

lastmanstandig.substack.com

Aiyuk never submitted the paperwork to fire his agent. He's probably going to ignore the situation and never going to submit the paperwork to get off the DNR list either. This means he's done with football. Done with the NFL.

The people that are desperate and perpetuating this Aiyuk to DC notion need to take a pause, take a deep breath, and at the very least wait until any paperwork has even been filed before clinging to hope of Aiyuk being the savior.

I know we're all a little starved for content before Training Camp. But this ain't it. There are steps we can follow to track goings on, and then we can wish for a future after those steps have been checked off. But it's been months and months and months. In a sports world like football, that's eternity. We need to move on.

I have thought the #1 way Aiyuk doesn't come here is him screwing up his own availability and that looks to be in play. But yeah I do buy the inside info that Aiyuk is the dude this team wants, maybe he's clowned his way out of it in recent weeks don't know. To me its a no brainer to go for Diggs instead.

 

[DWinzit]

Diggs said he was going to wait before signing with a team. I wonder how long that means. I wonder if barring an amazing offer he waits until camps late in July to see if a team loses a receiver to injury. He would then become a higher commodity. Right now it seems the two teams that would have interest in him and Boutte would be us and KC. Adding another team in the mix would be in their best interest

 

[bird_1972]

Diggs said he was going to wait before signing with a team. I wonder how long that means. I wonder if barring an amazing offer he waits until camps late in July to see if a team loses a receiver to injury. He would then become a higher commodity. Right now it seems the two teams that would have interest in him and Boutte would be us and KC. Adding another team in the mix would be in their best interest

I think, in general, WR like him don't want to be around for the offseason workouts - he'll probably sign with a team right before training camp

 

[prodigy]

This was after he signed the contract. He confirmed he really seriously wanted a trade, and that it was NOT just a negotiating tactic, after he signed his shiny new contract. He chose to reiterate for fans and the team that the trade demand was real, not an attempt at leverage. It doesn’t mean he isn’t happy to be here, but he’s loyal to his dollars. Which describes most players, I just hate seeing people put him on a pedestal he doesn’t deserve. And yet I look forward to whatever catches, yards, and TD’s lie ahead.

hmm I had that mixed up in my head then. I stand corrected on that point.

 

[method man]

I think, in general, WR like him don't want to be around for the offseason workouts - he'll probably sign with a team right before training camp

He could also wait during camp or right after camp to see who gets hurt to drive up his leverage

 

[formerly4skins]

At least he was a little more specific about what's pissing him off in this one.

If I'm to understand...Lynch coming to his house makes him a "predator weirdo" and Kyle is a 2-faced dick. I have no doubt Kyle is a dick, he is his fathers son after all, but the pedator comments seem a little extreme.

All that said,out of desperation, I'd still take him on a 1-year prove it deal with the understanding internally that he never gets a multi-year investment.

 

[Kalu44]

If he never steps in the building again, how does he force his release?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I really wish we would come out and just say “We don’t have interest in signing Aiyuk.”

And then let that be that.

At this point, I’d be more than willing to ride with what we have than allow Aiyuk to continue to use our team in his ridiculous deranged social media campaign.

If he gets released, and they want to sign him, wait until the season and put him on the practice squad to see what he can do.

We need this headache like an Eskimo needs an ice machine.

 

[Chris]

But wait…there’s more

 

[Chris]

I really wish we would come out and just say “We don’t have internet in signing Aiyuk.”

And then let that be that.

At this point, I’d be more than willing to ride with what we have than allow Aiyuk to continue to use our team in his ridiculous deranged social media campaign.

If he gets released, and they want to sign him, wait until the season and put him on the practice squad to see what he can do.

We need this headache like an Eskimo needs an ice machine.

No one would believe they don’t have internet. 😉

That said…he’s moving around pretty well in the 2nd vid. 😎