Brandon Aiyuk is desperately seeking a fresh start away from the San Francisco 49ers. The wide receiver wants to be with the Washington Commanders, but there is no definite date for a resolution.
Everyone has an opinion. Insider reports are sketchy.
Some claim Aiyuk will be released before training camp. Others think it'll happen just before Week 1. But almost everyone agrees that his next stop will be a reunion with quarterback Jayden Daniels in Washington.
Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network was reporting from the final day of Washington's mandatory minicamp, getting a potential lay of the land. And the insider had some interesting things to say.
Mike Garafolo points Brandon Aiyuk straight to the Commanders when 49ers cut ties
Garafolo acknowledged that, from Washington's perspective, there is no urgency to sign Aiyuk. Instead, they are letting things come to them. If the wideout forces the issue and the Niners eventually cut ties, the insider then thought it was highly likely that the former Arizona State standout would end up with the Commanders.
“I’ll use this end of things to tell you that the Washington Commanders are not looking to press for Brandon Aiyuk. And my understanding is if he becomes a free agent, they will then take a look at Brandon Aiyuk and the possibility of bringing him in and reuniting him with Jayden Daniels.
"If the 49ers let him go at some point, and that could be before training camp, but Aiyuk sorta has to force the issue here. And then at that point, I would say it is extremely likely he winds up in Ashburn, but a couple of steps until we get there.”
This is the endgame, and it's no secret.
The Niners are stubbornly hanging onto him, and they might continue with this approach until the last minute. But once Aiyuk's bitter standoff with the club concludes, the Commanders will be free to bring him in.
A lack of execution from some receivers behind Terry McClaurin at minicamp, highlighted by Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, only increases the possibility of Aiyuk's arrival. Even that might not be enough, but the wideout is reportedly in good shape and ready to make a contribution. His connection to Daniels only raises hope for a smooth transition.
It's a risk. Aiyuk's injury problems are well-documented, and his actions throughout this dramatic saga haven't painted him in a promising light. But if there was one environment around the league that could help keep him on the straight and narrow, it's Washington.
He'll have Daniels. He'll have a strong culture. He'll also have Peters, who knows him well.
If Aiyuk cannot find his form again with the Commanders, he'll never get it back.
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