💥 BREAKING NEWS: A surprising NFL twist might finally give the Packers the edge they need to perfect their offense.QQ
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk might soon become available in free agency.
Relate
Josh Taylor
Back in 2020, Brandon Aiyuk was one of the top prospects on the Green Bay Packers’ board. He ended up going to the San Francisco 49ers with the 25th overall pick, and the Packers moved from 30 to 26 to select quarterback Jordan Love.
That sequence was positive for Green Bay after all, but all these years later, Aiyuk could become available.
Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers might be parting ways soon
The Athletic reported that the 49ers are voiding Aiyuk’s guarantees 15 months after giving him a four-year, $120 million extension. The receiver doesn’t plan to appeal, which is an indication that both sides are ready to move on in the offseason.
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Aiyuk played only seven games after signing the deal. In October 2024, the offensive weapon tore his ACL and MCL. After missing the rest of last season, he hasn’t been able to get back this year either — and the 49ers are using some missed meetings to justify a guarantee void.
Offensive investment
The Packers are not necessarily in a comfortable cap situation for next year. The team is projected to have around $10 million of cap space for 2026, with only 41 players under contract. Just including the draft class, the effective cap space is already negative.
However, the team has simple tools to create more space — edge defender Rashan Gary and center Elgton Jenkins, for example, are realistic trade or cut candidates. General manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball have been willing to restructure some deals in the past to create more flexibility.
The Packers have Christian Watson (who recently signed a one-year extension), Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, and Dontayvion Wicks under contract. However, Romeo Doubs is slated to become a free agent.
If the Packers want to invest more in the offense to give quarterback Jordan Love more tools, Aiyuk could be an intriguing option.
Green Bay doesn’t tend to give huge contracts for veteran players, but Aiyuk is just 27. His physicals would be a big part of the equation, and his market could be volatile because he hasn’t played for a long time.
We know the Packers liked Brandon Aiyuk coming out, and the fact that he has already performed at an elite level in a similar offense could be another positive factor. It’s not necessarily a likely outcome, but it’s certainly an interesting one.
