When free agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs put pen to paper, signing a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders, many around the football world assumed the move subsequently shut the door on any possible deal between Brandon Aiyuk and the team.
However, one NFL insider says not so fast, as the door may not be completely closed for the San Francisco 49ers’ receiver, who remains on the left squad list.
Mike Florio Doubts Commanders Would ‘Slam the Door’ on Brandon Aiyuk if He Became an Eligible Free Agent
The Commanders had appeared to put an end to the offseason-long speculation involving Aiyuk when they signed Diggs as support in the wide receiver room behind star Terry McLaurin.
Florio, however, believes the decision to sign Diggs was driven more by circumstance than by a lack of interest in Aiyuk.
“I think if Brandon Aiyuk shows up in the dead of night, taking a minimum contract, I think they’d still welcome him in because he’s better than the other alternatives. They’re just acknowledging it ain’t going to happen.” Florio said on “Pro Football Talk”.
Florio goes on to explain how important this season is to quarterback Jayden Daniels and the team. Daniels, who is heading into year three, has been through a roller coaster of a career so far.
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Coming off an Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and a trip to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie year, his sophomore season was disappointing and injury-riddled. According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, Daniels posted an impact score of 72.3 last season, ranking 27th in the league. In comparison, he was ranked seventh in the league during his rookie season with an impact score of 82.6.
With contract negotiations expected to begin for the former second overall pick following the conclusion of this season, the Commanders are inclined to give their star quarterback as many weapons as possible. That means getting Aiyuk may still be an attractive idea to them.
Florio believes the holdup stems from their faith in Aiyuk to do what must be done to be reinstated by the league.
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“I think that they acknowledge, ‘Hey, this guy is not going to do what he needs to do to be available for us to sign him. He’s not going to file the petition with the league for reinstatement to the 49ers’ active roster, and if he’s not going to do that, he’s going to be stuck forever in limbo on the reserve/left squad list.” Florio added, explaining the Commanders felt they were simply running out of time to improve their wide receiver room.
However, Florio did go on to say that the door is not shut on Aiyuk’s future with the Commanders if he does follow the necessary steps to reinstatement. He explained.”But I also think it means, if he would show up free and clear and able to be signed, they would not slam the door in his face.”
For now, Diggs, fresh off a season where he amassed 1,013 receiving yards with the New England Patriots, headlines the Commanders’ receiving corps alongside McLaurin. All the while, Aiyuk’s future in the league remains one of the more interesting unresolved storylines over this offseason.
However, if Aiyuk is eventually reinstated and becomes an eligible free agent, Florio believes the Commanders should remain a likely landing spot for the 28-year-old, despite already landing Diggs. The Commanders’ pursuit of Aiyuk may simply be on pause until the veteran wide receiver resolves his situation with the 49ers.
