If the Commanders offered this transaction to the 49ers, they would have a difficult time declining. Brandon Aiyuk, wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, has recently been the subject of trade rumors. Some rumors link Aiyuk to the Washington Commanders.
This is what Washington would have to offer to entice Aiyuk away from the Niners.
Despite the trade rumors surrounding Aiyuk, the best-case scenario for all parties would be to sign him to a contract extension that would keep him in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.
Aiyuk has stated that if he is not with the Niners next season, he would prefer to play for the Washington Commanders. This is quite surprising, given that the Commanders were last in their division last year.
However, Aiyuk added that newly drafted LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was a significant reason he wanted to play for Washington. The No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft and former Heisman Trophy winner clearly has a lot of talent, so it’s understandable that Aiyuk would want to catch passes from him.
What would it take to close a deal like this, though?
The only deal the 49ers would consider for Brandon Aiyuk
The 49ers have been adamant on keeping Aiyuk, so they would need to get an offer that truly blew them away. The only way would be for the Commanders to give up wide receiver Terry McLaurin and their 2025 second-round draft pick. Yes, Washington has a lot to give up. However, the Niners should and cannot send Aiyuk away cheaply. They are still in win-now mentality, and they must do all possible to maximize the current potential of this core group of players.
McLaurin is a solid wide receiver who could fit right in with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s playbook.
The pass-catcher has been very steady over the last three seasons, starting every game and averaging 75 to 80 grabs for 1,000 to 1,200 yards and four or five touchdowns.
The second-round pick may sound like a lot to give up, but as I previously stated, the Niners would need to be impressed by the offer, and they would also be taking on McLaurin’s massive three-year $68 million contract, which he signed in 2022.
The most likely scenario is that Aiyuk will join the Niners next season. However, if he is moved to the Commanders, the price should be high enough to keep the 49ers competitive in 2024.
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