The Washington Commanders remain hotly linked to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, despite the player still being under contract with the San Francisco 49ers. However, that relationship has gone way past the point of repair.
General manager Adam Peters knows Aiyuk well. He's also extremely close with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. The front-office leader probably has a better indication than most about what unfolded to reach this point, but his hands are still tied.
The Niners believe they hold the cards. They are waiting for a willing trade suitor to come forward, however unlikely that appears right now. Considering his roster bonus isn't due until September 1, those in power could easily decide to wait months.
Commanders still waiting as analyst thinks Brandon Aiyuk gets what he deserves
Just what good that'll do anyone remains to be seen. Josh Conahan of Sporting News didn't think it was likely Aiyuk would be traded before the draft. And if the Niners decide to hold out right until the last minute, it's nothing more than the Arizona State product deserves.
"Unfortunately for the 49ers, they were put in a horrible spot without him. That's something the organization is currently dealing with, though it will certainly result in a trade in the near future.
"The 49ers have made it somewhat clear that they don't plan to trade Aiyuk before the draft, and there are many reasons why. Not only would they be put in a better situation cap-wise, but there's not really much of a reason to help the guy out after he didn't show up last year."
The Commanders could end it all by throwing a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Niners to end this saga once and for all. That would be unwise.
Aiyuk's salary-cap hits over the final three years of his deal are large. The serious knee injury that saw him miss the entire 2025 campaign cannot be overlooked. The risks outweigh the rewards, no matter how much quarterback Jayden Daniels wants his close friend on board.
Now, if Aiyuk is eventually released, it's a different story. The Niners are not obliged to do the player a favor to expedite his projected move to Washington. They are hurt and embarrassed by this situation. Though the organization is not without blame, they want to leave with something.
The chances of that scenario becoming reality are slim. And at some point, one has to wonder what the point in dragging things out further is, aside from complete pettiness.
All that is out of Peters' hands. He's focused on improving the squad, either with or without Aiyuk. For the wideout, it's a case of staying ready and quiet before things eventually get resolved.
And in all honesty, he probably saw this coming.
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