Everyone has picked a side and dug their heels in regarding Brandon Aiyuk's bitter standoff with the San Francisco 49ers. The Washington Commanders are caught in the middle through no real fault of their own, but anyone hoping to hear an end to this drama will be out of luck.
And one former Pro Bowl wide receiver who worked closely with Aiyuk offered a potential worst-case scenario for Washington.
The Niners have Aiyuk under contract, so general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan can do whatever they like. He's cut off contact and is also refusing to speak with interested clubs about reworking his deal after a potential trade. He wants to play in Washington, but that is a long way off right now.
Brandon Aiyuk saga could drag until Week 1, and that's a problem for Commanders
TJ Houshmandzadeh stated his belief that San Francisco is willing to drag this out until just before the first game week of the regular season, when the player's roster bonus is due. Aiyuk's former personal coach also thought he'd brought all this on himself, and the payback is brutal.
“If you’re the Niners, the way BA just acted this past season with ghosting himself, I would release his ass the day before the start of the regular season. Why would I do you a favor?
"Whenever the first game is, they’re gonna release him that Tuesday. Because if you do it the day before the season starts, you gotta pay him. If you’re on the roster that Wednesday for that first practice, you get your money. He’s going to get released that Tuesday or somebody is going to trade for him. I am not doing him any favors if I’m the 49ers. You brought this on yourself."
Indeed, the Niners will want this problem out of the building much earlier. They have moved on, signing several receivers in free agency and spending the No. 33 pick on De'Zhaun Stribling. They also want to save face by getting a draft selection in return, and teams around the league will not want them to set a dangerous precedent.
The Commanders remain unwilling to trade for Aiyuk, even if it's a late Day 3 pick in 2027 or 2028. He would probably be willing to make significant financial adjustments to secure a reunion with quarterback Jayden Daniels, but general manager Adam Peters also knows he'll eventually be released.
This is all about leverage, and all sides believe they have some.
Aiyuk hasn't covered himself in glory. The Niners are not exempt from blame, either. Rumors and hearsay have plunged Washington into the crosshairs, and Daniels' reported influence behind the scenes has clearly rubbed those in San Francisco the wrong way.
It's tiresome. It's tedious. It's nothing more than position jostling with plenty of pattineess attached.
And it could go on for a long while yet.
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