SANTA CLARA -- The biggest development at 49ers training camp practice on Wednesday had nothing to do with anything happening on the field.
Perhaps not an encouraging sign for an NFL team this deep into training camp.
For the first time in approximately a week, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was seen at practice, watching team drills up close from the sidelines. Aiyuk, wearing red, stood next to coaches and team personnel for the majority of 11-on-11s before eventually walking over to teammates Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk where he chatted it up in the final minutes of practice before walking off the field and into the weight room once the session ended.
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While every reporter-turned-body-language expert in attendance attempted to analyze Aiyuk's every move from afar, including yours truly, one thing was clear: Aiyuk was very engaged, talkative and appeared to be in an overall good mood.
Which, as we learned from the "Handshake Gate" two weeks ago, probably is much ado about nothing and likely is just a player engaging in simple pleasantries with his longtime teammates and coaches. Some of which he hasn't seen or talked to in days, despite being a regular attendee at the facility.
Tight end George Kittle revealed after practice that he recently ran into Aiyuk while out at dinner on one of the team's recent off nights and caught up with the star receiver who he had not seen or talked to lately.
"Just being able to have a conversation with him, because I don't see him all the time, I'm in camp mode," Kittle shared. "Just being able to have a conversation with him is fantastic, just how he's doing."
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There is no question the 49ers' offense would take a step back if Aiyuk is not on the roster come Week 1, but right now in training camp, his absence has not significantly disrupted the unit's overall cohesiveness in practice.
"The season hasn't started yet so we don't know how much we miss him yet," cornerback Charvarius Ward said Wednesday when asked how much the team misses Aiyuk. "I think the offense still clicking on all cylinders ... they'll figure it out eventually."
"You guys asked Mooney 'Do you miss him?' and I think he answered it perfect," Kittle added. "We haven't played a game without him yet. As an offense, we don't know, because you interchange pieces all the time. We've had Trent Williams hurt in a game and we've still won, so it's like yeah you miss him but you can make do with it. So we don't know, at the end of the day."
Even with San Francisco's offense still capable of firing on all cylinders without its star receiver, there is an intangible quality Aiyuk brings that his teammates do miss, regardless of whether it's training camp or the regular season.
"I love Aiyuk, I played with him for four years, I love his mindset every single day ... I do know that Aiyuk is a fantastic football player," Kittle said. "The energy he brings every single day just elevates us."
While it remains to be seen which path Aiyuk will take, either accepting the 49ers' latest contract offer or forcing a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers, his attendance at Wednesday's practice was a welcomed sight for players and coaches alike.