The San Francisco 49ers are expected to release outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks on Friday, and the move apparently has been a while in the making. Ian Rapoport tweeted that the team has been shopping Brooks for the past couple weeks. The 49ers have not formally released Brooks yet, and it is more than likely because they are trying to swing a last minute trade.
Teams will often leak that they are looking to unload a player to get teams scrambling for a last minute trade offer. Brooks is a vested veteran, which means he would not go through waivers. Anybody would have a shot at him, but swinging a trade would keep him from hitting the market. Brooks remains a productive player, so if a team can get him for a sixth or seventh round draft pick, it would make a lot of sense.
In the meantime, Brooks was not at practice, according to the beat writers. He is likely clearing out his locker and waiting for word on if he is a free agent, or set to travel to a new city right away.