As expected, the Washington Commanders won’t stop coming up in Brandon Aiyuk trade speculation and reporting with training camps getting underway.
The latest example comes from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who in reporting that five teams were willing to give Aiyuk a lucrative contract before the draft, mentions the Commanders:
“That part didn’t happen. It’s unclear what the 49ers wanted at the time. They rejected an offer of a second-round pick from the Patriots. Other interested teams were, and potentially still are, the Steelers and Commanders.”
At this point, it’s safe to presume the Commanders were, without a doubt, working the phone. Some factors, like the need to make sure rookie passer Jayden Daniels succeeds and the droves of free cap space, help it make sense. So does the underrated front office connection between the Commanders and San Francisco 49ers.
If the Commanders were willing to give up resources to make a trade happen and then pay a huge contract, odds are they would remain willing to do so after the draft. But the 49ers might not feel the same way now if trades don’t help the team this season compared to what Aiyuk would bring to the field.
Either way, this story isn’t going away just yet.
