The Washington Commanders have been strongly linked with a move for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk if the San Francisco 49ers cut ties with the once prolific playmaker. Nothing is set in stone just yet, but general manager John Lynch laid the breadcrumbs that suggest a mutual parting of the ways is imminent.
And that will put the Commanders on high alert.
Aiyuk's relationship with the Niners has soured. He's reportedly skipped rehab sessions and has disengaged himself from the team. San Francisco voided the guaranteed money on his contract in 2026, which the wideout did not contest. All signs point to a breakup, and although head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't given up hope of him featuring this season, it didn't sound like there was much optimism that things could be repaired.
Commanders could target Brandon Aiyuk if 49ers inevitably cut ties
Lynch didn't sound entirely convinced, either. He acknowledged that they are trying to find some middle ground with Aiyuk. San Francisco's front-office leader also hinted that the receiver and his representatives were not being entirely professional throughout this increasingly complex process.
"I don't necessarily know that the reporting was an inflection point, but I think, the entire time, it hadn't been great. And so, you do your best to rectify those things, and then, everyone's got to be professionals and conduct themselves in that manner. And so, that's how we treat all our players."John Lynch via NFL.com
Well, this is awkward.
Everyone around the league knows what comes next when this sort of dynamic between a player and the organization emerges. What the Commanders need to determine is whether reuniting Aiyuk with quarterback Jayden Daniels will yield the desired results.
Aiyuk might be making things difficult now, but you could bet that his attitude would change if he got the chance to play with Daniels. And one only has to look at how Deebo Samuel Sr. has restored his reputation in head coach Dan Quinn's locker room to see how the tide can turn for players with red flags in Washington.
Like Samuel, general manager Adam Peters knows Aiyuk well. He'll trust his character, especially given his close connection to Daniels. However, there is the small matter of the pass-catcher's health to factor into the equation.
He's missed a lot of football. Aiyuk suffered a serious knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season and likely won't play in 2025. That's a lot of time without competitive reps, which is going to impact his bank balance and raise doubts about whether he can get back to his old form.
Again, that's for Peters and the Commanders to decide. But based on Lynch's comments, his time in San Francisco is done.