The Washington Commanders missed their first choice at wide receiver in free agency. Now they’re eyeing an old friend of their franchise quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
Washington targeted Alec Pierce during the early hours of free agency, but the wideout re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts on a four-year, $114 million deal before the negotiating window officially opened, leaving Washington scrambling for alternatives. Now, Brandon Aiyuk has emerged as the likely option for the Commanders to improve Daniels’ supporting cast.
Why Brandon Aiyuk is the Ideal Fit for Jayden Daniels
According to ESPN’s John Keim, Pierce “absolutely” would have signed with the Commanders if he’d reached the open market.
The Commanders need a legitimate second option opposite Terry McLaurin, and Aiyuk fits the profile perfectly, and the connection goes deeper than scheme.
NBC Sports’ Michael David Smith wrote that “with the Commanders still needing a No. 2 receiver to complement McLaurin, 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk would be an obvious choice.”
The reasoning is straightforward for Commanders to target Aiyuk as Daniels and the All-Pro receiver were teammates at Arizona State in 2019, where Aiyuk hauled in 65 catches for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns. The two remain close friends and have openly discussed playing together again in the NFL.
“Daniels and Aiyuk are close friends and were teammates at Arizona State, and they’d love to play together again,” Smith noted. “Aiyuk is still under contract to the 49ers, but they have said they’ll move on from him this offseason.”
49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed as much in January. He told reporters it was “safe to say” Aiyuk had played his last snap in San Francisco, after the relationship between the player and the team deteriorated over the past year. When the 49ers officially release or trade Aiyuk, Washington figures to be at the front of the line.
Washington Can Still Address WR Position Through Free Agency
The Commanders’ receiver room remains thin. McLaurin is the clear No. 1, but Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane project as depth pieces entering their third and second seasons, respectively.
Treylon Burks, who managed just 10 catches for 130 yards in 2025, has re-signed with the team, but Deebo Samuel Sr. is a free agent, and he is unlikely to return to Washington.
Smith pointed out that “the Commanders could also draft a wide receiver, and there are still veterans available in free agency: Jauan Jennings, DeAndre Hopkins, and Keenan Allen. It’s a position where the Commanders would still like to fill a need, even as free agency slows down.”
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Washington holds the seventh overall pick and could target Ohio State’s Carnell Tate or another top prospect. But Aiyuk represents the most intriguing option because of his existing chemistry with Daniels and his track record when healthy. He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023 before a torn ACL cut his 2024 short.
According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, Aiyuk finished the 2023 NFL season as the fourth-highest ranked receiver in the league with an impact score of 92.7. When healthy, the 49ers star is capable of being a WR1, but he has not played an NFL game since October 2024, and his situation in San Francisco remains complicated.
