Eighteen months ago, the San Francisco 49ers came within hours of trading wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That deal fell apart at the last moment, and Aiyuk instead signed a four-year, $120 million extension to stay in San Francisco. In hindsight, the near-trade turned out to be a preview of exactly how the rest of his time with the 49ers would unfold.
Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 of the 2024 season and never played another snap for San Francisco. His absence from the field was only part of the problem. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, the 49ers voided Aiyuk’s 2026 guarantees in part because of his failure to attend scheduled rehab appointments during the offseason. A video he posted last December showing himself driving 104 miles per hour past Levi’s Stadium only added to the growing list of concerns surrounding his commitment to the organization.
San Francisco’s general manager made the team’s position clear in January, telling reporters it was safe to say Aiyuk had played his last snap with the 49ers. The formal release, confirmed by ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Wednesday at the start of the new league year, simply made official what had been understood for months.
Washington emerges as the frontrunner
While the release itself came as no surprise, another detail in Wagoner’s report drew immediate attention across the league. Washington is the most likely landing spot for Aiyuk, Wagoner wrote, probably on a one-year prove-it deal that would give the receiver a chance to rebuild his value and reputation after two lost seasons.
The Washington Commanders have a recent and relevant history with former 49ers wide receivers. San Francisco traded All-Pro Deebo Samuel to Washington last March, and that familiarity with the pipeline between the two organizations could make an Aiyuk deal feel natural for both sides. Outside of Pro Bowl wide receiver Terry McLaurin, the Commanders’ receiving room is in genuine need of proven talent, and Aiyuk at his best represents exactly the kind of playmaker Washington is looking for.
A wild card with undeniable upside
The case for taking a chance on Aiyuk rests entirely on what he looked like before the injuries and distractions took over. In 2023, when healthy and fully engaged, he posted 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns across 16 games, numbers that placed him among the top receivers in the entire NFL that season. That version of Aiyuk, selected 25th overall in the 2020 draft, is the player Washington would be betting on with a one-year deal.
Whether that player shows up is the central question surrounding him heading into 2026. A prove-it contract puts the burden squarely on Aiyuk to demonstrate that his 2023 production was not an outlier and that the off-field concerns that contributed to his San Francisco exit are behind him.
Washington building toward a bounce-back season
The Commanders are clearly motivated to ensure their 5-12 record from last season does not define the direction of the franchise. During the NFL’s legal tampering window, which opened Monday, Washington agreed to terms with former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal, former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh, former Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson and former Houston Texans defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr. Adding Aiyuk to that group would signal that the offensive rebuilding effort is moving with equal urgency.
For Aiyuk, Washington represents something he genuinely needs right now: a fresh start, a motivated organization and a chance to remind the NFL what he is capable of when everything comes together.
Source: Newsweek
