Brandon Aiyuk’s path back to the 49ers is finally moving, but Kyle Shanahan isn’t pretending the situation has changed much on his end.
Aiyuk recently filed for reinstatement and is planning to report to the team on Friday. Shanahan, though, made it clear he has already mentally moved on from the receiver.
“I have no expectations. I’ve moved on with that mentally. Talked two months ago about that and it hasn’t changed with me.”
San Francisco also had another receiver situation in play. The team was reportedly in talks to acquire Jauan Jennings from the Vikings, but Jennings shut it down. Shanahan said he spoke with Jennings on FaceTime about a possible return to San Francisco, and the conversation ended with Jennings making his comfort level clear.
“When we got on FaceTime with JJ, it went well. He ended up saying he was happy with where he was. When I heard how he talked, I agreed with him.”
General manager John Lynch addressed Aiyuk’s status as well, saying the 49ers are still trying to work through the process with the league.
“We’re working with NFL management council to navigate through a different situation. It’s fluid.
I’m going to leave it at that. We working so there’s a pathway for both sides that work.
Next week we can talk more in detail about it.”
On the injury front, Lynch said he doesn’t expect Mike Evans or Deebo Samuel to be available in Week 9, while Demarcus Robinson and KhaDarel Hodge should be back.
In Arizona, the Cardinals may have a tough call to make with Josh Sweat. FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano reported the team will likely want a second-round pick in return for the veteran edge rusher, who is also seeking a new contract. That makes him a costly target for any team interested in a deal.
A league source told FOX Sports’ Eric Williams, “I think [the Cardinals] are trying to win as many games as possible,” which could make them less inclined to move Sweat.
Still, other league sources told Vacchiano they wouldn’t be surprised if Arizona made a move involving Budda Baker before Tuesday’s deadline.
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur also said the Jacoby Brissett deal should be finalized in the next few days.
“Out of respect for the process, I’ll let the process play out with that.”
LaFleur added that the team is handling James Conner week by week, but he will not return this week.
In Los Angeles, Sean McVay said the Rams plan to ease Myles Garrett back in as he returns to practice. Garrett took half the reps on Wednesday, and McVay said the team will handle it day by day.
Seattle, meanwhile, is trying to shake off a rough 34-17 loss to the Bears in Week 8. Mike Macdonald said the Seahawks were beaten in “all three phases” and didn’t do enough in any of them.
“They made it happen, and we didn’t,” Macdonald said, via ProFootballTalk. “It’s a team effort; we lost as a team.
In all three phases, we can have better plans, we can coach it better, prepare our players better, and we can play better. We’ll go back to work and go attack the heck out of it.
The margins in our league are too small, and when you don’t do the things that it takes to win, that’s how a game like that shapes up. It was a team effort.
We lost in all three phases.”
In Other News...
Cardinals Face A Josh Sweat Decision That Still Isnt Simple
Josh Sweat has become one of the more interesting names to watch as the NFL trade deadline approaches, but the buzz around the Cardinals pass-rusher has not changed the basic outlook much. Arizona has every reason to treat him as part of its longer-term plans, and the contract situation only makes a move more complicated for a team that values edge help.
Even with rumors circulating, the sense around the league is that the Cardinals are not eager to deal him unless the return is substantial enough to justify it. Sweats future still feels tied to Arizona, and unless the right kind of offer materializes, this looks like one of those deadline stories that may end with the player staying put and the team keeping its pass rush intact. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Head To Seattle Already Facing A Costly Lineup Problem
The Cardinals head into their Week 9 trip to Seattle already shorthanded, with running back Bam Knight, tackle Jayden Williams and guard Jon Gaines all ruled out because of injuries. Mike LaFleur said none of the three practiced during the week, leaving Arizona to sort through its depth before the official injury report comes out after practice and to keep an eye on a few other banged-up players as well.
It is the kind of availability issue that can shape a game plan before kickoff, especially on the road against a division opponent. Seattle will be starting Drew Lock at quarterback in place of the injured Sam Darnold, but Arizona still has to piece together its own lineup on both sides of the ball, and the final answers up front could matter just as much as anything the Seahawks do under center. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Seahawks Injury Situation That Could Change Everything
Seattles first full practice of the week brought a long injury report and a little more clarity for a matchup that already had plenty of moving parts. The Seahawks listed 17 players on their second report, including six starters, while Arizona also had several players either not participating or limited as both teams started to narrow their focus toward Sunday.
The biggest developments came on Seattles side, where Ernest Jones IV and Derick Hall were added to the report as not practicing, even as guard Anthony Bradford moved to full participation. For the Cardinals, the report only added to the uncertainty around a game that could be shaped as much by who is available as by anything that happens on the field. [Read more 🡒]