The runaway leader in generating rumors among this year’s pack of disgruntled wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk is finally locked down. The 49ers have the 2023 second-team All-Pro tied to a four-year, $120MM agreement, ending trade rumors and tethering the ascending player to San Francisco through the 2028 season.
As fallout pieces surface, however, Aiyuk is now believed to have added a team to his list of acceptable trade destinations. In addition to Aiyuk’s long-rumored interest in being traded to the Steelers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted during a recent NFL Live appearance the fifth-year veteran would have been willing to be dealt to the Commanders.
Washington rosters the starting quarterback Aiyuk played with to close out his college career — Jayden Daniels — and Aiyuk communication with his former teammate generated headlines earlier this summer. Aiyuk had told Daniels during a video call the 49ers did not “want him back, I swear.” It took the parties more than two months from that point to hammer out an extension, and trade rumors swirled late in the process. The Commanders came up as a fringe Aiyuk destination; it does not seem they truly entered the fray.
The NFC East team did not show notable interest in acquiring Aiyuk, Fowler adds. The Commanders not being involved in the Aiyuk sweepstakes led to a 49ers-or-Steelers decision for the fifth-year wideout, who had effectively shut down potential trades to the Patriots or Browns.
Pittsburgh still loomed as a possible destination late in the process, but San Francisco would have been shorthanded at receiver thanks to Denver rejecting a third-round offer for Courtland Sutton. The 49ers had viewed the longtime Broncos pass catcher as a potential replacement for Aiyuk, in the event talks reached the point of no return and the 2020 first-round pick was indeed traded to the Steelers.
Washington enters the season with questions at receiver beyond veteran No. 1 Terry McLaurin. The team traded 2022 first-rounder Jahan Dotson to the Eagles in a pick-swap package headlined by a 2025 third-rounder. Noah Brown became the latest ex-Cowboy to join Dan Quinn in Washington, doing so after the Texans cut him. The Commanders drafted Luke McCaffrey in Round 3, but the second-generation NFL wideout has yet to establish himself as a surefire starter. Washington also carries fourth-year player Dyami Brown and veterans Jamison Crowder, Olamide Zaccheaus and Byron Pringle on what is presently a seven-receiver depth chart.
San Francisco’s offer had been on the table for a while, with the sides ironing out minor details near the end. Successfully convincing the 49ers to up their price — from the $26-$27MM-per-year range — Aiyuk was pleased with the deal’s frontloaded structure. These four-year, $120MM numbers match where the Dolphins went for Tyreek Hill in 2022, but Miami had included an inflated final-year salary to inflate the AAV to $30MM. Aiyuk, conversely, signed a true $30MM-per-year contract that includes $47MM due by April 2025. The latter component helped drive this deal past the goal line, Fowler adds.
Although the 49ers gave Aiyuk what appeared an ultimatum earlier this week, the player also wanted this matter finally done in order to avoid missing regular-season games. Of course, it is debatable if Aiyuk would have followed through with turning his hold-in strategy into missed regular-season contests (and game checks exceeding $820K). Trent Williams appears ready to execute this strategy, but Aiyuk is not in the same earnings bracket as the former Washington top-five pick.
As Aiyuk ramps up toward another starring role in San Francisco’s offense, Washington looks to have a multi-offseason project ahead to better equip Daniels with pass-catching weaponry.
Nice that a writer can find some tidbits to generate an article and get paid BUT tired of seeing titles about Brandon and his soap opera. Aren’t there 60 other players in that organization, excluding Pearsall, that maybe stubbed a toe or boned a sheep?
I am SO tired of hearing about Brandon Aiyuk.
So your solution is to continue clicking on and commenting on articles about Brandon Aiyuk. Quite a strategy. You don’t seem to be one of our deeper thinkers.
Some days are boring
Another addition of whatever daytime soap opera that has run for way too long..
The niners asked for scary Terry, that was the end of the discussion. Non story
I like Aiyuk, and Washington would have been better had they acquired him to pair with Terry. But, you’re spot on. Terry obviously would have been a non-starter in any negotiations. Washington would have just been swapping talented WRs to help San Francisco out, and they have zero reason to do that.
This just in…Aiyuk likes Cheetos
Well great, now there has to be at least one followup as to whether it’s crunchy or puffs.
Flamin Hot? Regular? Cheddar Jalapeño?
I don’t even eat snacks, but I think that crunchy original has to be leading all betting odds.
See? Every new tidbit just begets more questions.
Aiyuk is such a drama queen. He thinks he’s the featured WR on the team when it’s actually Debo.. SF had a better version of Aiyuk named Terrell Owens. Another diva..