It’s no secret Terry McLaurin will remain the go-to wide receiver for the Washington Commanders, but there’s still room to trade for an All-Pro complement, in the form of Brandon Aiyuk.
The Commanders have been urged to swing a deal for the San Francisco 49ers’ wideout by Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team. Mosher believes “the Commanders have a No. 1 receiver in Terry McLaurin, but Aiyuk’s game would mesh well with him, and their skills don’t overlap.”
A McLaurin and Aiyuk double act would be perfect for what’s “expected to be a wide-open passing attack with three or four receivers on the field at all times” under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
Mosher also made reference to Aiyuk’s long-standing ties to Commanders’ rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Their friendship, dating back to playing at Arizona State in 2019, has kept momentum churning for the Commanders to put together a trade for Aiyuk.
Brandon Aiyuk Trade Buzz Not Going Away
Links between Aiyuk and the Commanders aren’t disappearing any time soon. If anything, they’re getting stronger.
The logic is obvious since the two-time 1,000-yard wide receiver hasn’t been shy about expressing his desire to reunite with Daniels. Although, Aiyuk did tell TMZ Sports (h/t Coach Yac) on Sunday, July 29, he “for sure” wants to play for the 49ers this season.
Yet, everyday that goes by without Aiyuk getting a new deal from the Niners only increases the chatter about his next destination. The Commanders will remain a popular potential landing spot because of Daniels, Kingsbury and McLaurin.
Commanders Could Make Brandon Aiyuk, Terry McLaurin Partnership Work
Pairing the second-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft with one of the best route-runners in the pros would be a win-win for Kingsbury. He’d also get to put two gifted receivers on the field at the same time to make his expansive and vertical passing concepts work.
Aiyuk wouldn’t take targets away from McLaurin, instead he’d complement what No. 17 does best, namely dominating on the perimeter. The 28-year-old knows how to make the tough catches along the sideline, the way he did against the New England Patriots in Week 9, per Ben Brown of The QB List.
McLaurin winning outside the hashmarks leaves the middle of the field open for a natural playmaker between the numbers like Aiyuk to exploit. It’s what Aiyuk did on this “deep crosser” against the Dallas Cowboys last season, highlighted by USA Today’s Doug Farrar.
Having two receivers capable of dissecting different areas of the field would help Daniels quickly refine his passing range at the pro level. It would also mean more single coverage for supporting pass-catchers like Jahan Dotson, third-round pick Luke McCaffrey and veteran tight end Zach Ertz.
Kingsbury won’t hesitate to use this quintet freely to put opposing defenses in a bind over where to direct coverage. That’ll be easier if McLaurin, who’s a Pro Bowl talent still strangely overlooked by many, has the support of a receiver with Aiyuk’s dynamism, toughness and resourcefulness.
Engineering a trade for a player general manager Adam Peters knows well from his own days in San Francisco, would be smart use of the Commanders’ $36,216,567 worth of space under the salary cap.
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