As expected, the June 1 date came and went without wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk being released by the San Francisco 49ers. Some Washington Commanders fans were hoping that general manager John Lynuch and head coach Kyle Shanahan would finally relent, but it wasn't to be.
That should not have come as a great shock, really. The Niners are holding onto him through bitterness and the faint hope of finding a trade partner. People around the league now believe Aiyuk is untradeable. But as long as he's under contract, San Francisco can do whatever it pleases.
But there could be a way for Aiyuk to speed up his release, and he may not even realize it yet.
The Commanders are waiting. Aiyuk fanned the flames by following Washington on social media recently, and most still believe he will eventually be his destination. The timeline is the sketchy part. It could go right through until August, until his roster bonus with the Niners is due.
Brandon Aiyuk should show up to work in pursuit of Commanders switch
There is no contact, no hope of a reconciliation, and no way for either side to emerge from this bitter dispute with any credit. But if Aiyuk wants to call the Niners' bluff, he should show up for work.
What a novel concept.
If Aiyuk returns to the facility and passes any medical checks, the dynamic changes. That makes him eligible to perform, which puts the Niners in a predicament. They have moved on and don't want him anywhere near the field. And if he gets hurt, they will be on the hook for his salary once again.
In this scenario, the risk becomes too great. It may leave Lynch with no choice other than to remove him from the equation, leaving him free to join the Commanders and reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Sounds simple, in theory. But nothing about this drawn-out saga is.
Aiyuk doesn't want to set foot in San Francisco again. He's made that clear through actions, even willing to forgo the guarantees on his contract. He's also infuriated Lynch and Shanahan to the point that they are going to make this as petty as possible.
Washington is somehow caught in the storm. Daniels has reportedly been putting a good word in for Aiyuk behind the scenes, and general manager Adam Peters is warming to the idea. Even so, the Commanders don't plan to trade for him, and the Niners are not going to gift-wrap him to D.C.
If Aiyuk turned up at the facility ready to work, even if it's just for ceremonial purposes, it might change the conversation. It might even expedite his departure.
Just don't bet on it.
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