When 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked in September if the team’s injury issues at wide receiver had led him to consider bringing Brandon Aiyuk back, his answer was a strong no.
Aiyuk has started the process of being reinstated from the team’s reserve/left squad list and part of that process would involve him reporting to the team’s facility later this week if he has not been released ahead of time. Shanahan was asked at a Wednesday press conference about any expectations he has about such a visit.
“None. I have no expectation,” Shanahan said. “I’ve kind of moved on with that mentally and doing kind of how I talked to you guys two months ago. Nothing’s really changed for me.”
Shanahan said he has not had any conversations about a roster exemption that would give the 49ers more time to explore a trade, which joins releasing him or welcoming him back to the active roster as the team’s options once he is off the left squad list. Shanahan said there are “no absolutes” when asked if he could envision any scenario where Aiyuk plays for the team again, but his other answers sent a strong message that Aiyuk will be moving on once the administrative work is done.