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San Francisco 49ers News & Rumors

49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk On Track For Midseason Return; Trade Unlikely To Happen After 4/1?

April 2nd, 2025 at 8:33am CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 2: Lynch effectively confirmed the 49ers do not intend to trade Aiyuk. As the Tuesday bonus vesting date has come and gone — meaning the $76MM fully guaranteed to Aiyuk has now triggered (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) — San Francisco will move forward with its 2024 extension recipient.

MARCH 30: A report from FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz several days ago indicated the 49ers, who have seen salary cap constraints trigger a mass exodus of talent this offseason, are open to trading wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Given the lucrative extension Aiyuk signed in August and the season-ending ACL tear he suffered in October, the Niners would be selling low if they were to move him, and an unofficial deadline in that regard is fast approaching.

As Schultz observed in his report and as ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed on a recent episode of his podcast (h/t Kyle Posey of Niners Nation), Aiyuk has a $22.85MM roster bonus due on April 1. Schefter cannot envision a scenario in which San Francisco pays out that bonus and then trades Aiyuk at any point in 2025, particularly when the wideout’s value is at its nadir.

Instead, assuming the April 1 “deadline” passes without a trade having been consummated, Schefter expects the 49ers will simply wait for Aiyuk to get healthy and display the same high-end ability that landed him a four-year, $120MM contract last year and that made him such a sought-after trade commodity prior to the contract being signed. The Niners have already traded Deebo Samuel, and their WR depth chart outside of Aiyuk presently consists of 2024 draftees or veteran ancillary targets, so a healthy and productive return for Aiyuk would, if nothing else, dramatically improve the club’s 2026 outlook.

On that point, Schefter says noted surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache is pleased with the progress Aiyuk has made in his recovery. It appears as if the 2020 first-rounder is on track to return to the field by the middle of the upcoming campaign, which should give San Francisco plenty of time to evaluate his future in the organization.

Schultz’s report noted the 49ers had discussed an Aiyuk trade with several teams. That jibed with an earlier report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who said — on the same day Samuel was traded — that Aiyuk was also drawing trade interest.

Schefter appears to deviate from his fellow pundits by saying there has not been much external interest in Aiyuk’s services due to his contract and injury concerns. That leads him to believes a trade will not happen, but if a WR-needy club is willing to roll the dice, the ESPN reporter confirms it would not take a significant offer to convince GM John Lynch to pull the trigger.

If such an offer does not come in the next two days, though, it seems fair to expect Lynch to retain Aiyuk through the 2025 season.

49ers, Brock Purdy Zeroing In On Extension?

March 31st, 2025 at 9:10pm CST by Ben Levine

There’s been growing optimism that the 49ers would eventually sign Brock Purdy to a new deal. GM John Lynch all but confirmed that sentiment today.

[RELATED: 49ers, Brock Purdy “Actively Negotiating” New Contract]

When asked if Purdy could play the 2025 campaign on his expiring rookie contract, Lynch dismissed the notion and expressed belief that the two sides will “get the deal done” (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). In fact, the executive even hinted that a contract could be completed before the offseason program begins in a few weeks.

“I don’t think it’s too optimistic,” Lynch said (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic). “I understand why Brock wants that. We’d like that very much so. We’ve just got to find that right place for both sides. I would love nothing more for that to be the case.”

Since the 2024 campaign ended, both sides have publicly expressed interest in completing a long-term pact, and the organization’s money-cutting efforts have certainly signaled that a massive investment was coming. Lynch acknowledged as much when discussing the negotiations, but he also left the door open to Purdy playing out next season on an expiring contract.

“Brock wants to be with us,” Lynch said. “We want Brock to be with us. When that’s the case, these things typically get done. And does it happen this offseason? I don’t know. Hopefully, it happens real soon this offseason.”

Thanks to being Mr. Irrelevant during the 2022 draft, Purdy is owed only $5MM in 2025. A recent report indicated that the QB should easily surpass the $50MM AAV mark. There were even rumblings that Purdy could take a slight discount to help San Francisco’s front office, and the seemingly speedy negotiations signal that there isn’t a massive divide between the two sides.

Texans To Add LB E.J. Speed; Cowboys, 49ers Expressed Interest

March 29th, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Sam Robinson

E.J. Speed will follow Azeez Al-Shaair in making an intra-AFC South free agency move. After six Colts seasons, Speed is moving south.

The Texans are bringing in the veteran linebacker on a one-year deal worth $5MM, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. Although Speed is coming off his most productive season, the former Indianapolis starter remained in free agency for nearly three weeks. He ended up costing the Texans far less than bringing in Al-Shaair from the Titans did. Speed’s deal includes $3.25MM guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Negotiations began yesterday, per Wilson, who adds that the 49ers and Cowboys were also vying for Speed’s services (video link).

Dallas’ DeMarvion Overshown plans to suit up in 2025, but after suffering a brutal knee injury in December, it is unclear exactly when he will return to the field and if he will ever be able to realize his considerable potential. We recently named the Niners as a potential Speed suitor after the club was unable to re-sign Dre Greenlaw this offseason, but according to Wilson, Speed wanted to play for Houston HC DeMeco Ryans. He also saw the Texans as a more playoff-worthy outfit.

Previously re-signing with the Colts on a two-year, $8MM contract, Speed became important insurance for a Colts team that saw injuries sidetrack Shaquille Leonard. As the latter ended up an in-season 2023 release, Speed’s play factored into that decision. The Colts turned to Speed as an every-down player following the Leonard release, and that trend continued last season.

After a 102-tackle 2023 slate that included a career-high 12 TFLs, Speed posted a career-best 142 tackles last year. Helping to replace Bobby Okereke, Speed added seven TFLs and intercepted a pass last season. The Colts had already extended Zaire Franklin on a deal averaging more than $10MM per year, and the team’s much-rumored philosophical shift did include two big-ticket DB additions (Camryn Bynum, Charvarius Ward). The Colts will opt not to pay a second linebacker, letting Speed walk.

Pro Football Focus viewed Speed as a better linebacker in 2023, ranking him 48th among off-ball regulars in 2023. Last season, PFF slotted Speed 67th out of 84 qualified options. Despite making 26 starts on his $4MM-per-year contract, Speed did not walk into a strong market this offseason. His age (30 in June) undoubtedly contributed, but the Texans will see if the special-teamer-turned-starter can contribute in an Al-Shaair-fronted LB cadre.

Houston, which lost role player Devin White to Las Vegas on Friday, has Al-Shaair under contract through 2026. The defending AFC South champs have Christian Harris and Henry To’oTo’o rostered as well. Harris missed most of last season due to injury, and To’oTo’o led the team’s LBs with 936 defensive snaps. Speed played 1,011 — third-most among off-ball LBs in 2024. If nothing else, the Texans have high-end insurance against another LB injury and figure to give Speed a long look as an Al-Shaair three-down complement.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

49ers Open To Trading WR Brandon Aiyuk

March 26th, 2025 at 10:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Recovering from an ACL injury and now attached to a lucrative four-year deal, Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t been nearly as popular on this website as he was last offseason. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s any less available than he was in 2024.

According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, the 49ers are open to trading their top wide receiver, and there has been “communication with several teams.” This follows a report from earlier this month that rival teams were sniffing around on Aiyuk’s trade availability.

With Aiyuk set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, the receiver appeared to be firmly on the trade block last offseason. He was connected to a number of teams, including a nixed trade to the Steelers, before ultimately inking a four-year, $120MM extension with the 49ers. Aiyuk tore his ACL in October, ending his season prematurely.

Aiyuk’s injury and extension would obviously change his trade market in 2025. Further, the 49ers’ receiving outlook looks a whole lot different than it did just one month ago. Deebo Samuel is now gone, leaving the organization with some question marks at the position.

Jauan Jennings had some standout performances while filling in for teammates in 2024 but has never topped 1,000 yards receiving, and Ricky Pearsall‘s tumultuous rookie season saw him finish with 31 receptions. The team added Demarcus Robinson to a grouping that also includes the likes of 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing, veteran Russell Gage, and free agent addition Isaiah Hodgins.

In other words, the team is expected to be especially reliant on Aiyuk moving forward, so it’d be a surprise if the team was suddenly willing to pivot when the player’s trade value is likely at its lowest. The timing of a trade could also complicate things. As Schultz notes, Aiyuk has a guaranteed option bonus of $23MM due next week, and a trade would likely have to be consummated before that date.

So, while both the 49ers and suitors may have interest in a potential deal, it seems unlikely that anything will come to fruition any time soon.

49ers, Brock Purdy “Actively Negotiating” New Contract

March 26th, 2025 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have continually made it clear that they intend to keep Brock Purdy around for the foreseeable future. Well, after extension negotiations reportedly started last month, it sounds like the two sides have made some progress.

[RELATED: 49ers Begin Extension Talks With Brock Purdy]

According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Purdy and the 49ers are “actively negotiating” a new deal. The hope is to finalize a contract before the start of the 2025 season.

The source did caution that an extension isn’t imminent, although they left the door open to the contract being finalized before next month’s draft. Either way, there’s a clear expectation that the two sides will cross the finish line over the next few months.

By now, we’re all familiar with Purdy’s story. The former Mr. Irrelevant guided his team to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie and the Super Bowl as a sophomore. While the 49ers’ 2024 campaign didn’t go as planned, Purdy has still established himself as a franchise quarterback…while also setting himself up for a lucrative pay day.

By virtue of his No. 262 slot on the draft board, Purdy has provided the 49ers with a massive discount over the past three years, with the QB earning $2.6MM over that span. Thanks to performance escalators, Purdy will see a significant jump to $5.2MM in 2025, although that’s still an obvious discount when compared to the rest of the market.

While it seems inevitable that Purdy will ink an extension with the 49ers, there’s still a question of how much that contract will be worth. Per Schultz, Purdy will have a difficult time matching Dak Prescott‘s $60MM AAV, but several sources believe he’ll still clock in at around $50MM to $55MM. A rival GM also suggested that Purdy could take a slight discount to continue helping his organization, although that same executive still believes he’ll approach the top of the market.

The 49ers front office hasn’t had the easiest time navigating recent extensions to star players. As Schultz notes, extensions for Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk were completed right before the regular season, and deals for Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel also led to “drawn-out” processes. The organization will surely be looking to avoid the drama with their QB, and it sounds like there’s extra motivation to sign Purdy as soon as possible.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/26/25

March 26th, 2025 at 8:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

OL Draft Notes: Campbell, Simmons, 49ers

March 26th, 2025 at 4:06pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Projected first-round pick Will Campbell measured in with 33-inch arms at LSU’s Pro Day, per ESPN’s Field Yates, an increase over his measurement at the NFL Combine.

His arm length was measured at 32.675 inches in Indianapolis, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, three-eighths of an inch below the league’s general standard of 33-inch arms for offensive tackles. Curiously, Campbell’s measured wingspan at the Combine (72.375 inches) was longer than his wingspan at his Pro Day (72.25 inches). Both figures are below-average figures for pro tackles.

Typically, college tackles with shorter arms are encouraged to move inside to guard or center to avoid constant matchups with long, powerful NFL edge rushers. The same concerns have been raised about Campbell in the pre-draft process, though he put together multiple years of elite tape at LSU while playing left tackle.

Campbell responded to concerns about his arm length at his pro day, refuting the idea that below-average arm length would limit him in the pros.

“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me and nobody said anything about my play,” said Campbell (via Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football). “So now all of a sudden, an arm length decides if I’m a good player or not?”

Campbell has consistently been ranked as a top-10 overall prospect and is expected to be the first offensive lineman drafted in April, though his exact landing spot may depend on which teams see him as an offensive tackle.

  • Some NFL teams see Campbell as a guard, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. All of his elite traits – particularly his athleticism and technique – will translate to guard, but teams are less likely to use a top-10 pick on a less-valued position. (The last guard taken in the first 10 picks was Quenton Nelson in 2018.) Teams that project Campbell to stay at tackle will value him higher. In short, if Campbell is drafted in the top 10 as expected, it will likely come with the expectation that he will play tackle in the pros.
  • Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn patellar tendon suffered in October, according to Ian Rapoport and Stacey Dales of NFL Network. The injury was originally expected to threaten Simmons’ availability for the 2025 season, but he is now expected to be at 100% before the draft. Simmons’ reparative surgery included a “double graft” to make his patellar tendon “extra strong,” per Dales, and he has impressed doctors with his progress in rehab. He did a brief workout at Ohio State’s pro day, including 33 reps on the bench press, which would have tied him for the most of any player at this year’s Combine. Simmons’ injury could have knocked him out of first-round consideration, but his speedy recovery should shore up his stock and give him a strong chance to be selected on Day 1 of April’s draft as a solid blocker with experience at both tackle spots.
  • The 49ers are among the teams who are expected to target offensive linemen early in the draft, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Trent Williams missed the team’s last seven games of the season due to a lower leg injury, and future absences remain a risk for the 37-year-old left tackle. 49ers general manager John Lynch indicated at the Combine that the team was looking closely at the 2025 OL draft class, but he hasn’t spent a first-round pick on an offensive lineman since Mike McGlinchey, the ninth overall pick in 2018. This year, several of the draft’s top offensive linemen should be available to the 49ers at the 11th overall pick.

Draft Rumors: Visits, Green, Nolen, RBs

March 25th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 2025 NFL Draft continues to draw nigh, teams are beginning to do their due diligence on each prospect, including hosting several for visits.

A perfect example of this saw the Saints host a bevy of Longhorns for a dinner last night, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The list of Texas prospects included possible first-rounders cornerback Jahdae Barron and wide receiver Matthew Golden as well as defensive tackle Vernon Broughton and quarterback Quinn Ewers.

The Saints weren’t the only team to spend time with Ewers yesterday, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Both the Jets and Raiders sent staffers to meet with the 22-year-old in Austin prior to the team’s pro day. Ewers has several visits planned following today’s pro day, as well, including meetings with the Cowboys, Colts, and Raiders, again, in early April.

Another potential Longhorn first-rounder, wide receiver Isaiah Bond, has also reportedly set up a number of visits following today’s pro day, per CJ Vogel of On Texas Football. Bond apparently has top-30 visits scheduled in the next month with the Falcons, Bears, Packers, and Rams.

Here are some more rumors concerning the 2025 NFL Draft:

  • East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. is making the rounds, as well. After previously meeting with New Orleans, Revel reportedly visited the Texans on Friday, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Revel is attempting to make a speedy recovery from a torn ACL that ended his final collegiate season after only three games. He’s reportedly on track to be ready to return in time for training camp.
  • One of Revel’s top competitors at the position in this year’s class, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, is set to meet with the Raiders, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Johnson has already met with the Falcons and reportedly met with the Cardinals already, as well.
  • Already having met with the Saints and Falcons, Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is set to meet with several other franchises, per Wilson. One of the top tackle options in the class, Conerly has visits planned with the Texans, Eagles, Commanders, Bengals, and Bears. Wilson adds that, at the NFL Scouting Combine, Conerly already formerly met with the Texans, Jets, Titans, Patriots, Raiders, Commanders, and 49ers.
  • Marshall’s pro day garnered a few more visitors than usual today, thanks to the presence of potential first-round pass rusher Mike Green. According to Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, while several teams sent personnel to check Green out, the Falcons sent most of their front office as well as head coach Raheem Morris. Pauline adds that the Commanders also held a significant presence at the pass rusher’s pro day.
  • Due to the draft being more deep than top-heavy, there are several prospects who receive a wide range of opinions on when and where they’ll go in the draft. According to Matt Miller of ESPN, though, no player has a wider range than Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Transferring within the conference from Texas A&M for the final year of his collegiate career, Nolen had a strong, consensus All-American season with the Rebels, totaling 48 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 14 tackles for loss. Despite the impressive performance, Miller claims that “teams are torn on (Nolen’s) lack of refined pass-rush moves,” resulting in projections from the top 10 all the way back to the second round.
  • Last year was the second time in the three years that we saw no running backs taken in the first round of the draft. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, we could see two running backs hear their names called on Day 1 of the event this year. A running backs coach told Schultz that “there’s no way (Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty) falls outside the top 15-20 picks.” Jeanty has been projected in multiple mock drafts to both the Raiders at No. 6 overall and the Cowboys at No. 12. While the position is deep, with players like Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, Ohio State’s duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Miami’s Damien Martinez, and several others, it’s North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton who may have played himself into the first round with Jeanty. Schultz claims that a personnel director told him the only thing Hampton needed to do in order to go in Round 1 was run in the 4.4’s at the combine, and Hampton ran a 4.46. He may not get taken as high as Jeanty, but he should still be considered a first-round candidate come the end of April.

49ers Tried To Bring Back LB Dre Greenlaw After Broncos Commitment; Latest On De’Vondre Campbell, Kyle Juszczyk

March 23rd, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers have seen a host of high-profile talent depart in free agency and, outside of blocking tight end Luke Farrell, have not authorized an FA contract with an average annual value above $4MM. However, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required) confirms, the club did try to re-sign linebacker Dre Greenlaw even after he had agreed to join the Broncos.

We heard back in February that San Francisco and Greenlaw were discussing a new contract, though GM John Lynch suggested even then that the 27-year-old defender could look to test the free agent market. According to Barrows, that market may have been slow to heat up but eventually became a “dogfight” that included the incumbent Niners. Barrows does not provide details on Lynch’s final pitch to Greenlaw, who ultimately signed a three-year, $31.5MM deal with Denver.

The contract is relatively light on full guarantees, which allows the Broncos to escape the pact fairly painlessly in 2026. It also underscores the fact that Greenlaw has a notable injury history; he played in only two regular season games in 2024 thanks to the Achilles tear he suffered in Super Bowl LVIII at the end of the 2023 campaign, and he also missed 14 games in 2021 due to a groin injury.

When healthy, though, Greenlaw teamed with Fred Warner to form one of the league’s best LB duos, and Greenlaw also has developed a reputation for being strong in coverage. His track record of high-level production, combined with a weak collegiate class of linebackers, helped him generate significant competition for his services.

After losing out on that competition, the 49ers – who presently have a number of recent Day 3 draftees like Dee Winters penciled in as Warner’s running mate – could look to the free agent market to bolster the position. Some of the more notable names still available include C.J. Mosley, who made plain he intends to continue his playing career, and E.J. Speed, who tallied 142 tackles for the Colts last season.

In terms of starting experience, De’Vondre Campbell also stands out as one of the more accomplished LBs on the market, but obviously his relationship with San Francisco is beyond repair. After signing with the 49ers as a Greenlaw insurance policy last March, Campbell started 12 of the team’s first 13 games of the 2024 season. Greenlaw returned in Week 15, thereby relegating Campbell to a reserve role. Then, when Greenlaw and Winters sustained injuries during that Week 15 contest, Campbell was asked to go into the game. He refused, thus leading to a suspension and the forfeiture of just over $260K in salary and roster bonuses (h/t Spotrac).

Last month, Campbell published on X a series of NSFW posts referencing the situation, though he did not go into detail as to why he refused to enter the Week 15 game. 

“It’s been 2 months and I have yet to address the situation cause I know the truth and don’t care to clear anything up. … I ain’t addressing s***. I’m rich and never have to work another day of my life and I told Kyle Shannahan [sic] and John Lynch that when they FaceTime me and begged me to come out there an hour after Green Bay cut me.”

Campbell, 31, has amassed just under $40MM in career earnings. His posts suggest he is content with not continuing his playing career, and given the way his San Francisco tenure ended, teams may be reluctant to bring him aboard anyway, even for a modest salary.

While the 49ers were unable to entice Greenlaw back to the team after he tested the open market, Lynch & Co. were successful in re-signing fullback Kyle Juszczyk less than a week after releasing him. The Steelers hosted Juszczyk on a visit, and the nine-time Pro Bowler indicated in a recent interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio that other clubs were interested as well (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). His brief time as a 2025 free agent solidified his desire to remain in the Bay Area, and he returned to the Niners on a two-year pact featuring an AAV just less than what he was due to make prior to his release (but which presumably helped carve out some 2025 cap space).

“They put it in my court, whether I wanted to be released or continue to negotiate a pay cut,” Juszczyk said, while adding he was told by the 49ers that their financial constraints are real. “I think it’s good to see what your market is, so they gave me the opportunity to do that. Me and my agent, we went to work and we had some interested teams, we explored those possibilities. … I wanted to be a Niner and we were able to get to a number I was comfortable with and we made a deal and I couldn’t be happier.”

As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle observes, the club’s decision to sign Farrell to a notable contract made more sense upon Juszczyk’s release, as it suggested the tight end would take on a portion of the FB’s blocking responsibilities. With Juszczyk back in the mix, Farrell is still likely to see significant playing time, but his presence will allow George Kittle to spend more time running routes and less time showing off his admittedly formidable blocking skills.

49ers Sign CB Siran Neal

March 18th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers’ secondary has witnessed plenty of turnover during free agency, and another new face is incoming. Veteran corner and special teams ace Siran Neal is finalizing a two-year deal with San Francisco, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports. The move is now official.

Neal has spent his entire career in the AFC East to date, playing with the Bills from 2018-23 and then the Dolphins last season. He has made 114 appearances, but only handled one start during that time. Neal logged a career-high 84% snap share on special teams in 2024, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes the Dolphins did not make a serious push to retain him.

On Monday, Miami worked out a deal with fellow veteran corner Artie Burns. The former first-rounder has not developed as hoped on defense, but he will be able to contribute on special teams. Provided he does so, he will help replace the third phase contributions lost by Neal’s departure.

The 30-year-old has handled triple-digit snaps on defense only three times so far in his career (and not since 2021). Neal has logged more than 2,000 special teams snaps, however, and remaining a core player in that regard will no doubt be the expectation upon arrival in San Francisco. Improving in the third phase will be a goal for new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer in particular and the 49ers in general for 2025.

San Francisco has lost cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Talanoa Hufanga to the Broncos on the open market, adding the likes of Tre Brown and Richie Grant as low-cost options who could replace them to an extent on defense. The team’s secondary will now include Neal as well next season.

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