As the offseason carries on, the Washington Commanders appear more and more likely to land one of two recent All-Pro wide receivers.
Both Brandon Aiyuk and Stefon Diggs have shown clear interest in teaming up with quarterback Jayden Daniels heading into his third NFL campaign, with John Keim of ESPN reporting on the most recent news involving Aiyuk and his bizarre, ongoing saga with the San Francisco 49ers.
“Aiyuk, you can go check out his latest Instagram, he’s clearly, clearly begging to come to Washington — had a Commanders hat on,” Keim said on Monday, June 8. “By the time he gets here, it will be almost two years [since] he has played in a game. That’s tough to ask.”
“We don’t even know when he’s going to become available,” Keim continued.
Brandon Aiyuk Still Under Contract with 49ers, Hasn’t Played in Nearly 2 Years
GettySan Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk inked a four-year deal worth $120 million with the 49ers in 2024, just months after he produced a 75-catch season for 1,342 yards and seven TDs, which earned the wideout second-team All-Pro honors.
He played seven games the following season before tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus. That was the last time Aiyuk played a regular-season snap, and his relationship with San Francisco has deteriorated progressively ever since.
An argument over Aiyuk’s rehabilitation ultimately led the 49ers to void $26 million in guaranteed money on his deal for the coming year. It is clear that the wideout is not interested in playing for the organization ever again, but the 49ers have yet to cut him as they hope to work out a trade and get something in return for the 28-year-old pass-catcher.
No team is going to trade for Aiyuk’s contract as it is, which means a deal would require his willingness to restructure the contract. However, as events over the weekend indicate, neither side is disposed to doing the other a solid of any sort.
49ers Cancelled Mandatory Minicamp This Month, Sparking Rumors that Decision Involved Brandon Aiyuk
GettySan Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan cancelled his team’s mandatory minicamp early this month, a decision from which an internet rumor was born that the 49ers did so to avoid/spite Aiyuk.
“By canceling their mandatory minicamp, the 49ers avoided a potentially awkward moment with receiver Brandon Aiyuk,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote Sunday. “Instead, by having no reason for Aiyuk to show up for the mandatory minicamp, the 49ers have preserved the ability to squat on Aiyuk’s contract.”
Aiyuk took to Instagram, posting a long (and at times rambling) video, in which he called out the organization and its members for being a “female dog” and a “little cat,” terms that carry deragatory connotations when converted to common slang form.
“Stop running from the belt. The belt coming. You scared. They scared. The truth is they scared. They know how I get,” Aiyuk said. “They gonna say, ‘Oh, yeah, B.A. did this, B.A. did that.’ But what they not gonna say is ‘B.A. suck at football,’ because they know how I get.”
Commanders May Not Have Chance to Sign Brandon Aiyuk Until Late August
GettyWashington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Keim dismissed out of hand the notion that Shanahan or the 49ers cancelled minicamp because of Aiyuk.
“If you believe that, I’d say seek help, because that’s crazy,” Keim said. “They’re not gonna do that to spite one player, to hurt their team to spite a player. … I don’t wanna go into further detail on that because that’s kind of silly.”
“But having said that, could [the 49ers] hold onto [Aiyuk] for awhile? Yeah,” Keim continued. “If they feel he has wronged them, or that he did something to hurt them, then why do they have to do him a favor before they need to? … I can see why they may hold onto him for awhile, it may not be until the final cuts.”
If the 49ers can’t work out a trade, they will eventually release Aiyuk. However, if they wait until the final cuts as Keim suggested San Francisco might, that would mean Washington could not sign Aiyuk until late August. The Commanders open their season on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 13.
Should San Francisco ultimately cut Aiyuk, Spotrac projects his one-year market value in 2026 at $12.3 million.
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