Chatter of 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk joining Commanders continues to grow

The Washington Commanders came so close to getting back into the win column against the Denver Broncos, who are one of the NFL's top contenders, but dropped the contest in overtime to bring them to 3-9 on the season.

Washington has dealt with a myriad of injuries, including those to playmakers on the offensive side of the ball and quarterback Jayden Daniels. They will likely look to improve in this area this offseason, whether through free agency, trade, or the NFL Draft.

One player that would make a lot of sense for the Commanders to target would be Daniels' former college teammate and current San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk.

A Collegiate Reunion?

Jayden Daniels Brandon Aiyu — Oct 12, 2019; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates his touchdown with Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (2) Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

“One team to potentially watch for Aiyuk is Washington. He is close with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former teammate at Arizona State,” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “And general manager Adam Peters -- a John Lynch disciple from his time in San Francisco -- understands the Aiyuk experience well.”

The Injury Risk

The pairing would make a lot of sense due to Aiyuk's connections to the Commanders, and would give the offense another boost alongside Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel.

Aiyuk signed a lucrative four-year, $120 million contract ahead of the 2024 season with the 49ers, but unfortunately tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee early in the season, which ended his year. Aiyuk has yet to return from that injury despite reports that he should have been back at least practicing at this point.

Weighing Risk vs. Reward

There has been drama with Aiyuk in San Francisco, much like that of what ended Samuel in Washington, so it would be a risk for the Commanders to go out and trade for him. However, the Commanders have shown that previous drama hasn't mattered with Samuel, and the reward of having three legit playmakers at wide receiver for Daniels to throw to in 2026 outweighs the risk of bringing him in.

The regular season still needs to play itself out, but the Commanders, who, in all likelihood, won't make the playoffs, can turn their attention to their plans this offseason to make sure they don't find themselves in a similar situation they found themselves in this season.

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