Brandon Aiyuk will not be a member of the San Francisco 49ers for much longer, but his inevitable departure probably won’t spell the end of his NFL career. The past few years have been nothing short of disastrous for Aiyuk, as his career fell off the rails after signing his massive four-year, $120 million deal. The wideout played in just seven games in 2024, hauling in 25 receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury.
Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of the bad news, as Aiyuk went AWOL on the team and missed the entire 2025 season. This act of insubordination led to the 49ers voiding the guaranteed money in his contract, and Brandon Aiyuk instructed the NFLPA not to fight San Francisco’s decision. Quite frankly, this relationship is damaged beyond repair, and while the 49ers will try to trade him for something, they will likely end up releasing him.
While the past two seasons were unmitigated disasters, it’s worth remembering why Brandon Aiyuk received that contract in the first place. He has a 1,300-yard season under his belt, and the 49ers would not have made the Super Bowl in 2023 without the wide receiver’s support. Aiyuk and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels have a close personal relationship, and reporters recently asked him about a potential reunion.
Jayden Daniels Speaks on Brandon Aiyuk
Despite their close connection, Jayden Daniels refused to say much of anything when asked about Bradon Aiyuk.
“I don’t have a sense of it,” the quarterback said. “That is my brother; we have a personal relationship, but his football future is out of my control.”
This is the correct answer to give from a PR standpoint, but it might not be the truth. While it’s hard to imagine the Commanders (or any team, for that matter) trading for Aiyuk, they could easily sign him to a cheap one-year deal after the 49ers release him. Terry McLaurin is still a good wide receiver, but the team appears to have no interest in re-signing Deebo Samuel. Washington needs a solid WR2, and Brandon Aiyuk could be the right man for the job.
Main Photo: D. Ross Cameron – Imagn Images
