While most national insiders believe wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk won't get his release from the San Francisco 49ers until much later in the summer, his latest Instagram post hinted at an imminent departure. And in this scenario, the Washington Commanders remain his most likely landing spot.
Aiyuk was dancing on the post with the caption "Coming to an end zone near you." That inevitably caused the rumor mill to swirl once more, but nothing has become concrete as yet.
The Niners are not going to find a trade partner for Aiyuk. That much is crystal clear right now. Therefore, they can either be petty and wait until his roster bonus is due before the season or finally remove this distraction from their hands.
Mike Florio believes Brandon Aiyuk could soon be free for Commanders to sign
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thought that might be closer than fans think. He stated his belief that San Francisco might be looking to avoid an awkward scenario in which Aiyuk shows up to training camp. And after months of stubbornness, they have made their point.
"It's hard not to wonder whether the 49ers have decided to abandon the effort to trade Aiyuk and to cut the cord in the coming days. That would avoid the awkward dance of Aiyuk showing up to training camp and forcing his release.
"The 49ers have proven their point. By refusing to release Aiyuk and holding out hope for a trade, they’ve wiped out his ability to get up to speed through his new team’s offseason program. At some point, rubbing Aiyuk’s nose in it takes the team’s eye off the bigger prize."
It's a fair assessment. Whether the Niners are actually contemplating it is another matter.
There is clear bitterness and resentment with Aiyuk's actions. The Niners may not be completely without blame, but dragging this out just reeks of emotions getting in the way of football business. He is a distraction they don't need, and the team has already moved on without definitively cutting the cord.
The Commanders are waiting. They are reportedly interested in acquiring Aiyuk, and the player is desperate to reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels. This almost looks like a foregone conclusion, which has only increased San Francisco's resolve to make things as difficult as possible.
One social media post won't change that, especially given Aiyuk's public outbursts criticizing the franchise over the last week. At the same time, this is a lost cause for San Francisco in terms of getting anything back.
Daniels wants him. General manager Adam Peters knows him well. It's not hard to connect the dots, but any delays to Aiyuk's arrival are only going to jeopardize his chances of hitting the ground running.
And that might be the one thing San Francisco has left.
Aiyuk and Florio may think he is close to ending his dispute with the Niners. The reality may be different, but there is simply no telling for certain.
Watch this space, I guess...
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