49ers solicit Brandon Aiyuk trade offers after 2026 NFL Draft: 'Give us a call'

The 2026 NFL Draftis over, and wide receiverBrandon Aiyukis still a member of theSan Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers have made it clear they plan to eventually move on from Aiyuk. General manager John Lynch told reporters in an end-of-season news conference it was"safe to say he's played his last snap with the 49ers"after the two parties had a falling out while the veteran wide-out was out of action due to a knee injury.

Despite this, the 49ers have been holding onto Aiyuk, hoping they can eventually find a trade partner for him. Thus far, their efforts have been unsuccessful.

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Nonetheless,Lynch told reporters after the 2026 NFL Draftthere was "no new update right now" about Aiyuk's future while reiterating the team's desire to trade him.

"We're available. Give us a call," Lynch said. "And like I said earlier, I think it's the prudent thing to do. He’s an extremely talented player. He's been an extremely effective player in our league; situation didn't work itself out here. That's not to say that it can't be rekindled somewhere else. And we'd be happy to do something with anyone if the opportunity presented itself."

Lynch was also asked whether the 49ers would consider releasing Aiyuk as they remain unable to find a trade partner.

"Not anytime soon," he said.

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49ERS DEPTH CHART:How team projects with 2026 NFL Draft in the books

If the 49ers do eventually release Aiyuk, it will likely be with a post-June 1 designation. Doing so would allow the team to spread his dead-cap hit – which is salary cap space allocated to a player no longer on the roster – of nearly $33.6 million over two seasons.

However, San Francisco doesn't have to wait until after June 1 to make such a maneuver. NFL teams are allowed to designate up to two players as post-June 1 releases at any point after the start of the new league year, and the 49ers haven't yet utilized that designation in 2026.

So, all that's stopping the 49ers from releasing Aiyuk is their desire to acquire something from him via trade.

Will that happen? That remains unclear. TheWashington Commandershave "significant interest" in the 28-year-old receiver, according toNFL Media's Ian Rapoport, but they have thus far been content to wait for the 49ers to release him.

As such, the stare-down between the 49ers, Aiyuk and teams interested in acquiring him could linger well into the quieter months of the 2026 NFL offseason.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Brandon Aiyuk trade still sought by 49ers, GM says

byLiam Oneel

in

April 26, 2026

49ers solicit Brandon Aiyuk trade offers after 2026 NFL Draft: 'Give us a call'

The 2026 NFL Draftis over, and wide receiverBrandon Aiyukis still a member of theSan Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have made it clear...

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What Mike Vrabel’s NFL draft absence means for the Patriots on Day 3

The New England Patriots held 11 picks entering the 2026 NFL Draft. At the start of the second round, seven of them were scheduled for Rounds 4-7.

Head coach Mike Vrabel will not be with the team for Day 3, on April 25, as he “begins to seek counseling” and spends time with his family amid the public drama involving himself andformer Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini. After the New York Post published photos April 7 of the two at a private Arizona resort – one photo showed the two interlocking fingers and another featured them hugging on a rooftop – the outlet’s“Page Six” columnreleased more purporting to show photos of the two at a New York bar in March 2020.

“The stability of him as a person, some of the leadership, some of the presence,” Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said when asked about what the organization will be missing without Vrabel in the draft war room.

The final day of the draft is also vital in securing a team’s desired undrafted free agent class.

“He does a nice job with the undrafted players for us, obviously he’s a tremendous recruiter, so maybe that’s something that we’ll be missing,” Wolf said. “But again, we’re very confident with the people that we have, with the process. The assistant coaches have done a tremendous job, as have the scouts, preparing for day three. And we’re excited about it.”

From Jarrett Bell:Still laughing, Mike Vrabel? Patriots coach torches credibility as scandal grows | Opinion

Vrabel addressed reporters on April 21 and April 23. During the second news conference – Vrabel only took four questions after issuing a statement less than three minutes long two days earlier – the 2025 Coach of the Yearconfirmed he would not be with the team Saturday.

"My priorities are my family and this football team – in that order. And there is a balance there that I am going to create," Vrabel said. "My family needs me this weekend, and that's where I'll be.”

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The Patriots issued a statement of support concerning Vrabel’s decision to seek counseling and prioritize his family – but the team did not acknowledge the new batch of photos. Wolf referred to the statement while saying they are not “too worried” about Vrabel’s absence.

“As far as the work is concerned on Saturday, not too worried about that, just as far as the process that we have in place, the people we have in place,” he said. “It’s gonna be different without his presence there, but we feel really good about the people that we have in place to make up for it.”

More:Mike Vrabel says actions 'don't meet standard' but doesn't address Dianna Russini

The Patriots will be able to contact Vrabel, who will have final say on picks, Wolf confirmed.

Vrabel said he is confident in Wolf and his staff to handle the third day of the draft but was unsure whether he'd miss additional time.

"When you prioritize your family first and your job that's what's required," Vrabel said. "That's what was necessary."

In a statement he released shortly after the first batch of photos was published, Vrabel said any insinuation of an inappropriate relationship was “laughable.” Asked what changed, Vrabel said it was an attempt to protect his family.

Vrabel is not under league investigation, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed April 23. Goodell called it a “personal matter.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Mike Vrabel is skipping Day 3 of the NFL draft after more Russini photos

byLiam Oneel

in

April 25, 2026

What Mike Vrabel’s NFL draft absence means for the Patriots on Day 3

The New England Patriots held 11 picks entering the 2026 NFL Draft. At the start of the second round, seven of them were scheduled for ...

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Meghan Markle Shows ‘Desire for Control’ With This Gesture — Source

Meghan Markleis under scrutiny after a finger-tapping greeting gesture during her Australia trip brought back similar moments into the spotlight. The moment shows theDuchess of Sussextapping her left index finger on a staffer’s hand during a visit to Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital — and royal watchers noticed the same motion in past royal settings. Now, it has raised questions about what, if anything, it indicates.

Expert analyses Meghan Markle’s finger-tapping gesture at various events

Radar Onlineexclusively reported earlier instances of Meghan Markle seemingly using a similar finger-tapping gesture beyond her recent Australia trip, including at her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, when she met King Charles III partway up the aisle at St. George’s Chapel. Moreover, the report notes another moment at Queen Elizabeth II’s 2022 funeral, when Markle tapped her left hand againstKate Middletonas she moved to her seat.

To explain what the gesture could mean, the outlet cited body language expert Inbaal Honigman. She spoke on behalf of Casino.ca after reviewing the viral video and suggested, “The positioning of this one-finger tap can be meaningful.” Honigman added, “When the touching finger is placed over the other person’s hand, it indicates a desire for control, whereas if the finger were placed below the other person’s hand, it’s a more meek way of requesting attention.”

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Additionally, the body language expert differentiated between this tap and the way Markle sometimes touches Prince Harry in public. She claimed, “When Meghan is seen tapping her husband’s back or arm from behind, it urges him to move forward, taking control of the situation,” while suggesting that a single-finger touch is a restrained way to connect.

Honigman also called Meghan Markle’s one-finger tapping a “confidential type of social greeting,” while explaining that it could be “colder and more discreet.”

Markle‘sgesture has now become a matter of discussion because it has appeared more than once. And in Honigman’s view, it is subtle and intentional — whether it aims to draw attention or to manage distance in a public setting.

The postMeghan Markle Shows ‘Desire for Control’ With This Gesture — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.

byLiam Oneel

in

April 24, 2026

Meghan Markle Shows ‘Desire for Control’ With This Gesture — Source

Meghan Markleis under scrutiny after a finger-tapping greeting gesture during her Australia trip brought back similar moments into the spot...

Read More