Aiyuk must – Brandon Aiyuk can’t simply walk into the 49ers’ training-camp program and force his release to join the Commanders. Because he remains on the reserve/left squad list, he must apply for reinstatement with the league first—then, once reinstated, he can show up a
Brandon Aiyuk can want the San Francisco 49ers to release him as he eyes a move to the Commanders, but the path to that exit runs through paperwork—and it’s not optional.
The receiver’s path, as laid out by the basic mechanics of the situation, starts with showing up for training camp with a clear message: “I’m ready to work.” That’s the line that would put the decision into motion.
If he simply arrived without clearing the legal status that’s currently holding him, he still isn’t free to do that. Aiyuk remains on the reserve/left squad list, and league rules require him to apply for reinstatement with the NFL before he can take the next step.
Only after reinstatement is granted—described as “presumably automatic. ” even as the writer points out doubt by referencing how applying for the supplemental draft “was automatic. too”—would he be able to show up and secure his release. The sequence is designed like a trap that only works if the final action happens in the right order.
The financial and injury-risk pressure is part of why the move matters. The 49ers would “undoubtedly” cut him rather than allow him to take on the physical risk of practice fields or weight rooms. If a season-ending injury occurred, the 49ers would owe him full compensation for 2026 in excess of $26 million. At present, none of that money is guaranteed.
Still, the release can’t be forced through impatience. It’s tied to the reinstatement step first, then the training-camp appearance immediately after. The route described is straightforward: submit the petition for reinstatement, then show up once reinstatement is granted.
For Aiyuk, the implication is that it could begin quickly. “It would take minutes to get it started. All he has to do is start it.”
Brandon Aiyuk San Francisco 49ers Washington Commanders reinstatement reserve/left squad list training camp NFL rules 2026 compensation