Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues to be in the headlines as the NFL offseason rolls on ahead of the 2026 season. It feels obvious at this point that he will not play another down for the San Francisco 49ers, so where does that leave the receiver?
The Washington Commanders have been linked to Aiyuk, but it would certainly be a risk if they decide to get him.
Mark Schlereth Warns Commanders About 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk hasn’t played football since 2024 after dealing with injuries and then staying away from the 49ers. The veteran receiver had established himself as one of the premier pass catchers in the league before his incidents over the last two years.
Aiyuk had put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023 with four straight years of at least five touchdown catches. However, after seven games into the 2024 season, it’s been all downhill for the former Arizona State Sun Devil.
Now, with rumors swirling that Washington is the team most interested in Aiyuk, and the receiver giving multiple signs he wants to be a Commander, a Super Bowl champion has jumped in to give his opinion.
“No way!” Mark Schlereth wrote on X.
No way! https://t.co/WNSP1A4U9F
— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) June 25, 2026
Schlereth played 12 seasons in the NFL (1989-2000) and won three Super Bowls. The offensive lineman started his career with Washington, playing six years there, and that’s where he won his first Super Bowl (1991) and earned his first Pro Bowl nod (1991).
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Then, Schlereth spent the next six seasons with the Denver Broncos. He won two more Super Bowls out west (1997, 1998) and earned his second Pro Bowl nod (1998).
The direct question posed on social media, which Schlereth responded to, was whether the Commanders should take a chance on Aiyuk, given the need at the position and the risk that comes with him.
The Commanders’ need at the position is the only reason this is a discussion. Washington has Terry McLaurin, who’s achieved 1,000 yards in five of the last six seasons, but it’s slim pickings after that.
The Commanders’ current depth chart lists Luke McCaffrey, who has less than 400 career receiving yards in two seasons, and Antonio Williams, who is a rookie out of Clemson, as their two other starters.
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Washington’s backups consist of a group with very little experience and little production over its first few years in the NFL.
If the Commanders could bring in a 2023 version of Aiyuk, which ranked as the fourth-best wideout according to the PFSN WR Impact Metric, it would boost their receiver room astronomically. That’s a huge if, though.
