Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels hinted that he may want to reunite with his fellow former Arizona State standout, Brandon Aiyuk, after Washington’s disappointing 5-12 season.
During Daniels’ appearance on Yahoo Sports’ “Football 301” podcast with NFL writer Nate Tice, released Feb. 8, Tice asked Daniels about which weapons he would like added to the team’s wide receiver room. Free agency and the trade market opens March 11.
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“There’s a couple individuals that are out there, maybe somebody from Arizona State in my past,” Daniels said.
He agreed when Tice suggested “someone who lives on the West Coast.”
Daniels added, “There’s people like that out there. I don’t want to give too much but when that time comes and hopefully we can sign those types of players.”
There aren’t too many active NFL players from Daniels’ ASU days. He played for the Sun Devils from 2019-21.
But among them are San Francisco 49ers’ WRs Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall. Others are Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back Rachaad White and Philadelphia Eagles WR Johnny Wilson.
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The former All-Pro Auyik is the most obvious who fits Daniels’ criteria.
Aiyuk, who was San Francisco’s first-round pick in 2020, was ASU’s top senior WR when Daniels started as a true freshman in 2019. Daniels transferred to LSU entering the 2022 season.
Aiyuk, 27, has played all six of his pro seasons in San Francisco. His career year was 2023 when he was the 49ers’ top receiver (1,342 yards on 75 catches, seven touchdowns, all team-bests) on their NFC championship team that lost to Kansas City in Super Bowl 58.
But Aiyuk’s relationship with the 49ers has soured. On Jan. 21, 49ers general manager John Lynch was transparent about his thoughts on Aiyuk during the team’s exit interviews. “I think it’s safe to say he’s played his last snap as a 49er,” Lynch said. “It’s unfortunate. It’s a situation that just went awry… Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.”
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Aiyuk’s production declined after he signed a four-year extension for $120 million with $76 million guaranteed in August 2024. That came after he had requested a trade.
Aiyuk played just seven games in 2024 after suffering a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 20, 2024, against Kansas City. He was placed on the injury reserve list in December 2024, which made him ineligible to return that season, and Aiyuk sat out the entire 2025 season as well.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Could Jayden Daniels, Brandon Aiyuk reunite with Commanders?