It was not that long ago when it seemed like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was going to be a centerpiece of the San Francisco 49ers offense for years to come. However, after several factors, Aiyuk may find himself on the Washington Commanders.
Why Brandon Aiyuk’s Time With the 49ers May Be Over
“It’s safe to say he’s played his last snap with the Niners,” said 49ers general manager John Lynch in January of this year, according to the NFL’s Nick Shook. However, Aiyuk is still on the 49ers, so this prompted Aiyuk to say something.
“Brandon Aiyuk with another message on IG: ‘If I’m crazy or if I’m cappin’, tell them boys cut me today, and I’ll sign with the Commanders tomorrow. We’ll see who’s cappin’,'” posted Ari Meirov on X.
Aiyuk missed the 2025 season due to injury. In 2024, he only had 374 yards. However, Aiyuk was great in 2023.
During this season, he had 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns. For his great season, Aiyuk earned an A- and ranked 4th in PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact Metric.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
One reason Aiyuk could be signed by the Commanders is the front office connections. Before becoming the Commanders’ general manager, Adam Peters was with the 49ers. He served in several roles, such as assistant general manager.
The Commanders could use Aiyuk’s help as their receiving corps is pretty thin. Many thought that the Commanders could take a receiver in Round 1 of the draft. However, they passed on USC’s Makai Lemon and ASU’s Jordyn Tyson and chose linebacker Sonny Styles instead.
Styles is a good pick as he had an insane combine. However, aside from Terry McLaurin, who earned a B- grade and ranked 15th in PFSN’s WR Impact, the Commanders do not have many other impact players at the position. The Commanders have Luke McCaffrey, who has only had 371 receiving yards in his first two years.
REDRAFT THE ENTIRE NFL: PFN’s FREE NFL Ultimate Redraft Simulator
The Commanders getting Aiyuk would greatly help quarterback Jayden Daniels, who will be going into Year 3. Daniels had a storied rookie season in 2024, as he took the Commanders all the way to the NFC Championship Game.
During his rookie year, Daniels got a B+ grade and ranked 4th according to PFSN’s QB Impact. That ranked him above big names such as Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert.
Even though Daniels had a bit of a sophomore slump as he had several injuries and only got a C- grade and ranked 28th according to PFSN’s QB Impact, Daniels still has a ton of potential. Like the best quarterbacks in the game, such as Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, Daniels is very mobile and can create on the run. So, getting him a player like Aiyuk could greatly benefit Daniels.
Overall, even though the Aiyuk saga has been going on for a while, it could have a positive ending for both the Commanders and him.
Brandon Aiyuk is a punk