NFL Insider reveals 49ers' contingency plan to survive without Brandon Aiyuk if WR's ACL recovery drags on

Brandon Aiyuk suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 7 of last season when he tore his ACL and MCL. Not only did it keep him out for the remainder of the year, but his status for the start of the upcoming 2025 NFL season is reportedly questionable.

Several reports have indicated that Aiyuk may be heading towards opening the season on the PUP list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games as he continues to recover from his knee injury. Further complicating this situation for the San Francisco 49ers is that they recently traded away Deebo Samuel, so they are already weakened at their wide receiver position.

NFL insider Albert Breer recently addressed the situation in a piece with SI. He was asked about the possibility of the 49ers signing a veteran wide receiver in free agency prior to Week 1 this year. Breer explained that he doesn't believe this to be their plan and that they are already prepared for Brandon Aiyuk potentially missing some time.

He mentioned that Ricky Pearsall is in line for a much bigger role this year, while Jauan Jennings will continue to serve as a solid complementary piece in their offense. He also pointed out that the 49ers have a promising young prospect in Jacob Cowing, who has yet to receive an opportunity to prove his value in their offensive system.

Breer wrapped up his explanation by adding in the fact they have already acquired veteran help during the offseason in DeMarcus Robinson, who is coming off of a solid season with the Los Angeles Rams last year. He believes that the 49ers will just fine at wide receiver, even if Aiyuk misses games on his road to recovering from a major knee injury.

49ers 2025 outlook amid Brandon Aiyuk injury

Brandon Aiyuk

The San Francisco 49ers entered last season as one of the Super Bowl favorites after making it there in the year before. They instead had a massively disappointing campaign that resulted in them missing out on the NFL Playoffs altogether.

Injuries can explain some of their struggles, including Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey missing significant time. While Aiyuk may be in line to miss additional time this year, McCaffrey is expected to be fully healthy and ready to go. His return can potentially get them going back in the right direction, especially considering he is just one year removed from the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.