The Washington Commanders are no closer to landing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are not going to do the player any favors, and the San Francisco 49ers are holding out for any potential trade suitor to come forward before contemplating alternatives.
And according to one Niners insider, the question of whether the Commanders want Aiyuk at all should be discussed more.
Most around the league believe that Aiyuk wants to play in Washington with his close friend Jayden Daniels. This has been the supposed desire for some time. Even so, his bitter feud with San Francisco has clouded everything.
49ers insider questions just how much Commanders even want Brandon Aiyuk
Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur of The Athletic noted that Shanahan and general manager Adam Peters spent time together at the annual league meeting party, and Aiyuk's name no doubt came up. But considering the Commanders are not planning to send over a late-round draft pick to speed up the process, this seemingly foregone conclusion may not be as clear-cut as some fans envisaged.
"Kyle Shanahan spent most of the night with friend, former co-worker and current Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters. Yes, the topic of Brandon Aiyuk surely came up … but probably not for as long as you think.
"The Commanders are seen as the logical team to grab Aiyuk. But the Commanders have not sent over a draft pick yet, which begs the question: Are they even sure Aiyuk wants to play in 2026 after walking away from that guaranteed money six months ago?"
These are viable concerns. However, the reports from some Washington insiders in recent weeks paint a different picture.
John Keim of ESPN revealed that the Commanders are warming to Aiyuk, thanks in no small part to Daniels' seal of approval. Washington and San Francisco are both aware of the Arizona State product's desire, but the NFC West club isn't going to hand him over without a fight. Certainly not after this relationship soured so much.
Aiyuk isn't due his roster bonus until September 1. He's under contract in San Francisco for three more years. They are not obliged to give the player the exit he's so desperately craving, even though he's not going to play for them again.
This is not some longstanding veteran leaving on good terms. It's the exact opposite, so if the Niners want to make an example of the 2020 first-round pick, they will.
The long saga does have an end. When that'll be is anyone's guess, but until then, it's business as usual for the Commanders as they look to pick the required pieces around Daniels for improved fortunes in 2026.
And if Aiyuk becomes available at some point, that's when this will be revisited.