Brandon Aiyuk? You’re already painfully aware of this but — he could be traded. It just might not be to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Steelers are seemingly the only team in the race for Aiyuk, NFL Insider Michael Silver, who got his start covering the San Francisco 49ers, believes the Washington Commanders could hop back in.
“I wouldn’t rule out Washington,” Silver told San Francisco radio station KNBR roughly an hour ago. “And I know there have been reports that the Commanders are out. But they just traded a receiver today. Adam Peters and John Lynch obviously can communicate very easily on this. That’s the other team besides the Steelers that Aiyuk has honed in on as where he wants to go.
“And I know people think because something gets reported that it’s closed, it’s closed. But I don’t think it’s ever really closed, right? So I would keep an eye on that.”
For context, the Commanders traded away WR Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles, picking up a third rounder and seventh round pick swap in the process. That gives more draft capital to deal to a team like the 49ers, who would likely be targeting Day 2 draft picks in return. And it clearly creates a vacancy at wide receiver on the Commanders’ depth chart, Terry McLaurin the only true veteran and proven receiver on the roster.
As Silver notes, the Commanders’ new GM is Adam Peters, who left a front office job with the 49ers to take the Washington gig. The two know each other well. In addition, Aiyuk has had his eye on Washington and the chance to reunite with good friend and official starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. The two were teammates at Arizona State and stayed close since, Aiyuk once calling Daniels and implying the 49ers didn’t want him in a video that went viral. In an interview with The Pivot earlier this summer, the Commanders, Steelers and 49ers were Aiyuk’s list of teams he predicted he’d play for.
There’s been no other reporting that the Commanders have interest. Most reports indicate they’re out. But as Silver notes and as the NFL has proven, circumstances can change in a hurry.
“My reporting suggests that is not dead,” Silver said of a deal to the Commanders.
Trading for Aiyuk could create an issue with McLaurin, the Commanders’ No. 1 receiver who would love to join the ranks of the highest-paid receivers and currently the 14th-highest paid wideout. But adding Aiyuk would be a boon to a Commanders’ offense that finished just 25th in scoring a season ago and will need to put up points in an NFC East that features the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. Both were top 10 offenses a season ago and stacked at receiver.
So if you get an Adam Schefter or Ian Rapoport alert that begins with, “The 49ers have traded Brandon Aiyuk,” be forewarned that sentence might not end with “to the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
