There is nobody around the NFL or in the media who isn't befuddled by the way wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has acted of late. It's been a downward spiral for the ages, placing his dream switch to the Washington Commanders in severe jeopardy.
Yahoo Sports analyst Eric Edholm is now among those who believe Aiyuk's ship to Washington may have sailed without him. There is no clue what's going on with the wideout, and his actions are bordering on self-sabotage. But in terms of the bigger picture, his aspirations of joining the Commanders or anyone else are falling by the wayside.
"He's doing such a good job of marketing himself, you know. I don't get the approach by (Brandon) Aiyuk. I don't know what's going on there.
"It feels like there are a lot of people who are confused by what he's said and what he's done. Talent-wise, a couple of years ago, we were talking about does he deserve one of those elite, top 10 at his position, kind of contracts. That's gone by the wayside."
This is pretty much the consensus now. Obviously, nobody knows with any great certainty what the Commanders or other teams are thinking about Aiyuk behind the scenes. But until he applies for reinstatement and gets released by the San Francisco 49ers, it's all just noise in any case.
Brandon Aiyuk looks further away than ever from his Commanders dream
The Commanders were reportedly interested in Aiyuk without saying it out loud earlier in the offseason. His social media rant against quarterback Jayden Daniels should have changed that in an instant, turning off fans and leading to a series of other ill-advised outbursts against the Niners, the NFLPA, and his former agent.
Aiyuk has now reportedly bought a $10 million home in Loudoun County, Virginia, a little over 24 kilometers away from the Commanders' practice facility in Ashburn. Very presumptuous if he's made such a lavish purchase before potentially signing for Washington, but it may also be a player preparing for life without football.
Who knows at this point?
The Arizona State product could have done things the right way. Aiyuk could have stayed silent, forced the issue by showing up in San Francisco, and applied for his reinstatement without the spotlight burning on him. Instead, he's taken every wrong turn imaginable, and if the Commanders eventually decide to turn their back, one has to wonder if anyone else will take the plunge.
Of course, this will be worth it if Aiyuk does get given a lifeline by Peters and Daniels. But that would be a jaw-dropping development in the circumstances.
And to be honest, the end of this drawn-out saga looks further away than ever.
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