The San Francisco 49ers will wait yet another week for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s return.
Aiyuk, who suffered a catastrophic knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season, has been on the Physically Unable to Perform list since reporting for training camp in late July. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said a couple of weeks ago that Aiyuk is week-to-week.
However, Shanahan on Monday told reporters in a conference call the 49ers will not open Aiyuk’s practice window ahead of a Week 10 showdown with the Los Angeles Rams.
It’s been clear all offseason the 49ers are eager to take things slow with Aiyuk. He’s a big piece of a potential future Super Bowl window and the club doesn’t want to jeopardize his future production in the name of rushing him back into action in 2025.
Once the team opens the practice window they’ll have 21 days to decide whether to activate him.
They may be trying to manage his return around the Week 14 bye where they’ll get a bonus practice in the Monday after the bye. They could also just not be ready to bring back the 2022 All-Pro because they’re not confident he’d be able to be ready to play in a game within his 21-day window.
Aiyuk will miss this week’s game against the Rams. After that is a divisional matchup on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, then a home game in prime time vs. the Carolina Panthers and a road game against the Cleveland Browns leading into the team’s scheduled week off.
The sooner the 49ers can get Aiyuk back, the better. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if they continue holding him out beyond Week 10.
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