The rumors and hearsay around wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk have been pretty one-sided up to now. He's been silent, willing to bide his time before getting the chance to choose his next destination. And when that happens, most insiders seem to believe joining the Washington Commanders is almost a foregone conclusion.
Aiyuk wants to play in Washington, and general manager Adam Peters is reportedly well aware of the fact. Quarterback Jayden Daniels, his old college teammate and close friend, has publicly lobbied for the move, but the San Francisco 49ers are clearly going to hold out for as long as they can before releasing him.
They've painted Aiyuk as the villain. General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan were furious about his decision to cut off contact and stay away from the team. But according to one team insider, the saga may not be as clear-cut as it seems.
Brandon Aiyuk may not be the villain after all as Commanders speculation mounts
Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated explained why Aiyuk walked. He returned to the team but was never cleared. The reporter hinted that the Niners didn't want him to play, and he left after that. He also affirmed that the former Arizona State standout is not the bad guy in this drawn-out affair.
"Brandon Aiyuk didn't quit on the 49ers. They voided his guarantees, and he still returned to the team from July to October because he wanted to play. They never cleared him. They didn't want him to play. When that was clear, he left. He's not the bad guy."
As the old saying goes, there are always two sides to every story. But make no mistake; Peters has the connections to get to the bottom of what went on.
He knows Lynch and Shanahan well. Peters will also speak in depth with the player about the situation before reaching his conclusion. Daniels will vouch for him, and if Aiyuk has his heart set on joining the Commanders, he'll have to prove worthy of the opportunity.
Aiyuk has kept quiet. He's working out, gearing up for another opportunity away from San Francisco when it eventually arrives. Lynch can be petty for as long as he wants, but it doesn't change the endgame. And the chances of finding a trade partner are pretty remote.
The 2020 first-round pick has played his last down for the Niners. In truth, both sides were probably at fault for this relationship to go completely off the rails as it has.
But if Aiyuk did walk away when it was clear San Francisco had no intention of activating him or meeting its end of the bargain financially, that changes everything.