The talk of Brandon Aiyuk being traded heated up before the 2024 NFL draft. It didn’t happen, but Aiyuk made it clear to the San Francisco 49ers that while he wanted to remain there, it would be under his terms.
Since then, the Washington Commanders drafted his close friend, Jayden Daniels, and Aiyuk has teased a potential reunion with Daniels. However, whether Aiyuk had formally requested a trade wasn’t known.
That all changed on Monday. Aiyuk formally requested a trade, and social media attempted to determine where he fit best.
Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports named five landing spots for Aiyuk. Unsurprisingly, the Commanders were on the list.
The ties between Aiyuk and the Commanders have been lingering all offseason. He is friends with Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels from their days together at Arizona State. According to OverTheCap.com, the Commanders have the second-most effective salary-cap space in the NFL at a little more than $37 million. A potential issue is that the Commanders’ draft picks could be very valuable next season — they did draft second overall in April — and a rebuilding team might pause at giving up a lot of picks and a massive contract for Aiyuk. But if the 49ers move Aiyuk, the Commanders seem to be the most natural fit. It has to be enticing to think about Daniels and Aiyuk growing together.
Money isn’t a problem here. If the Commanders wanted to pay Aiyuk, they could do so with ease. It’s all about what it would cost to trade for Aiyuk. General manager Adam Peters may really love Aiyuk, but that’s too steep of a price for a rebuilding team. It also seems unlikely that San Francisco, who is a top Super Bowl contender, would trade one of their best offensive players.
Staying with the Niners was on the list, followed by the Commanders, Steelers, Patriots, and Lions.
Will Aiyuk be traded? At this point, it seems unlikely. If the 49ers do trade him, the Commanders should be interested. However, that’s not at all costs. Those days are gone.