The San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are still stuck with one another, at least for the time being.
The former All-Pro wide receiver tried stirring the pot on social media again, sharing a picture of himself wearing a Washington Commanders cap.
His interest in joining the Commanders has been an open secret for months, given his relationship with former college teammate Jayden Daniels.
However, his current team refuses to let him go for nothing, which has created the impasse. Of course, the Commanders could simply make an offer and they’d probably get him without much trouble, but 49ers insider Matt Maiocco isn’t so sure they even want him.
The Commanders may not even want Brandon Aiyuk
“He’s putting it out there, at least, that he wants to play for the Washington Commanders,” Maiocco said on the “49ers Talk” podcast. “The question is, does it make sense for the Commanders to go down that road?”
Maiocco questioned Aiyuk’s ability to play up to his current contract, which is a valid concern after such a long time on the shelf.
“And even if it did, and they did sign him, I don’t think it’s a certainty that he is ready to play football, win a roster spot, and be the player he was, or anywhere near the player he was, when we last saw him playing at a high level, which was in the 2023 season.”
Even if the Commanders want Aiyuk, and even if Aiyuk can play well — which are both big ifs — the way he’s dealt with his career should sound the alarms in the nation’s capital.
Aiyuk has been a headache for his team since he negotiated his contract extension, and he’s gone the extra mile to force their hand to get his way.
That’s not necessarily the best way to promote yourself in this league, and it might be more than enough reason for the Commanders to say “thanks, but no thanks.”
Daniels does need another weapon opposite Terry McLaurin since the Commanders don’t seem too eager to bring back Deebo Samuel.
Whether they should want Aiyuk to be that other weapon is another story.