Adam Peters was inevitably asked about San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk during his media availability at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. And his answer quickly became a subject of fierce debate among the fan base and beyond.
Peters obviously couldn't say too much about a player under contract elsewhere. This may not be the case for much longer, with widespread belief that the Niners will cut ties with Aiyuk at the start of the new league. And given his close relationship with quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders could be his top destination choice.
When probed about the wideout, Washington's front-office leader said that everyone deserves a second chance. He also revealed his admiration for Aiyuk from their time together in San Francisco. It might be nothing, but some are suggesting that Peters was laying the groundwork before making his bid.
Adam Peters may have tipped Commanders' hand about Brandon Aiyuk pursuit
Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan was among those who thought Peters' comments about Aiyuk meant something a little more. The general manager is well-trained. He is also guided by an exceptional PR team in Washington. He probably knew the subject was coming, but he took this moment to credit him rather than just saying nothing.
For the radio host and team insider, that matters.
"Everything is calculated in a sense with these major sticking point questions. So for him [Adam Peters] to say something about him [Brandon Aiyuk] as a person and be positive of his time with him, I think that was pretty compelling."Grant Paulsen
Commanders GM Adam Peters may have tipped his hand a little on what the Commanders think of WR Brandon Aiyuk... pic.twitter.com/ZS0M9HW3mX
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) February 24, 2026
Obviously, Peters will thoroughly investigate why things completely fell apart between Aiyuk and the Niners. All contact was cut off, leaving general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan completely bamboozled. Daniels wants him in Washington, but that shouldn't be enough.
There are too many red flags for that, including Aiyuk's injury history.
The first-round pick out of Arizona State missed the entire 2025 campaign and 10 games of the 2024 season with a serious knee injury. That's a lot of time to be away from the game, so there is just no telling whether Aiyuk can ever get back to the form that saw him accumulate 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2023.
Offering Aiyuk a long-term commitment doesn't seem smart. But if the player is willing to accept a one-year, incentivized deal with the promise of more if everything goes well to reunite with Daniels, that might be a risk Peters is willing to take.
This could be the last-chance saloon for Aiyuk. Having a close friend under center might just be the spark that ignites him back to life.